Seminar
The Dark Side of Democratization
Democratisation in Indonesia and the Philippines comes with several problems. First, democratisation - and elections in particular - often comes with an increase of political violence. Second, democratically elected governments increasingly face problems of corruption and accountability. Third, trends toward decentralization and liberalization often result in the withdrawal of the middle classes from the public sector into private business, with the result that the middle classes no longer play a leading role in democratic politics, state formation, and nation building. Taken together, these three issues can be said to form the dark or negative side of democratisation.
Central questions: What is the quality of democracy in present-day Indonesia and the Philippines?Do journalists determine the popular image of elections candidates? Do they have a decisive power over de the election results? Which type of media is most powerful in influencing the election results, in the Philippines, in Indonesia? Is that typical for these countries or is it a worldwide phenomenon? What is the strength of alternative media?
Invited speakers:
Dr. Kari Telle (University of Bergen, Norway)
Prof. dr. Mark Thompson (University of Erlangen, Germany)
Dr. Myrna Eindhoven (University of Amsterdam)
Prof. dr. Henk Schulte Nordholt (KITLV, Leiden)
chair: Dr. Rosanne Rutten (University of Amsterdam)