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Stanfield 2021: Democracy on Edge

The inaugural conversation, titled "Democracy on Edge," established a foundation for future Stanfield Conversations by examining both urgent contemporary issues and enduring dilemmas confronting democracies globally. The panel explored whether democracy is indeed in crisis, and if so, investigated the origins of this predicament and potential solutions. Is it possible to resolve a democratic crisis? The panelists posited that the most critical step in addressing these challenges lies in our capacity to adopt a forward-looking perspective — focusing on the future rather than dwelling on the past.

The discussion underscored the potential benefits of citizen assemblies in Canada, emphasizing the need for comparative analysis of different democratic systems, rather than assuming the superiority of any single model. Furthermore, the panel delineated the distinctions between partisanship, polarization, and radicalization, as well as the potential ramifications of each. While the long-term trajectory of global democracy remains uncertain, its future depends, in part, on overcoming the short-term thinking that currently undermines its stability and progress.

Charles Taylor and Simone Chambers

The panelists for the 2021 Stanfield Conversation were Dr. Charles Taylor (Professor Emeritus, McGill University) and Dr. Simone Chambers (University of Toronto), with guest moderator Vassy Kapelos, a Dal alumnus who was at the time host of the CBC program Power and Politics.

Stanfield Fellows & Master Class

The Stanfield Fellows for 2021 were Profs. Kiran Banerjee and Scott Pruysers. They helped plan the Stanfield Conversation event and organized a Master Class for HÂþ»­ graduate students.