An open discussion entitled Challenges to Democracy: Democratic Crisis Around the Globe was held on Wednesday (11/6/2024), at the Wyoming Union West Ballroom, University of Wyoming, United States.
This event was held one day after the United States presidential election to discuss various democratic challenges currently being faced by countries around the world, such as the weakening of democracy, political polarization, and increasingly complex election dynamics.
This discussion involved a number of speakers who have international backgrounds and experience in political studies. One of the main speakers was George Towar Ikbal Tawakkal, a lecturer in Political Science at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) Universitas Brawijaya, who also plays a role in the international discourse on democracy.
George discussed the political polarization that occurred in Indonesia, and made a comparison between election practices in Indonesia and the United States.
The discussion provided valuable insights into how political polarization in Indonesia plays a role in the dynamics of democracy and elections, as well as the challenges faced in maintaining the integrity of democracy amidst political tensions.
In addition to George, several other speakers also shared their views on democratic practices in various parts of the world.
Tom Dougherty, former United States Ambassador to African countries, shared his views on the challenges of democracy and bureaucracy in African countries and the comparison with the democratic system in the United States.
Thomas Seitz, an expert on democracy in Asia, discussed the challenges and dynamics of elections in Asian countries, such as India, Taiwan, Singapore, and China.
As moderator, Andrew Garner guided the discussion, which presented various perspectives from countries with very different democratic systems.
The discussion also highlighted that democracy in many countries has become a culture in unique and diverse ways, although it is often seen by scholars as a challenge.
This was an important highlight in the discussion, where scholars were asked to rethink how they define and view democracy in each country.
This discussion opened up a space to reflect on how democracy, while often seen as facing global challenges, has evolved in unique ways in each country. Different according to their respective social, cultural and historical contexts, existing democratic practices do not always follow standards that are widely understood.
In this regard, the discourse encouraged participants to not only asking but also re-evaluate traditional views of democracy.
Are the definitions and approaches that have been accepted so far still relevant in facing the ever-changing political dynamics in various countries?
This question raises the awareness that democracy, with all its complexity, requires a more contextual understanding and is open to the diversity that exists in the world. (UB PR/ Trans. Iir)
