At a time when democracies are facing unprecedented challenges - from wars to elections marked by polarization - the 18th CIES-Iscte Research Forum, held on January 27, 2025, brought the importance of participation and defending democratic values to the center of the debate.
29.01.2025 | Text by Rita Alves | Photos by Sofia Rocha
Under the motto “Participation and Democracy”, the event brought together researchers and experts to debate the global challenges threatening democracies.
This year's edition paid special tribute to the legacy of Professor André Freire, a key figure in Political Science in Portugal, highlighting his influence on the study of political participation and the defence of democracy.
The tribute culminated with the panel discussion “André Freire and Political Science in Portugal”, where speakers such as Marco Lisi, Helena Carvalho and Daniel Adrião analyzed the impact of his work on the academic scene and highlighted his social and civic role.
The program also included two panels that addressed crucial issues. The first panel, “Democracy: Between Inclusion and Exclusion,” moderated by Helena Belchior-Rocha, explored the effects of inequalities on political effectiveness, addressed by Ana Maria Belchior, and the impact of social inequalities on political participation, presented by Renato do Carmo.
Vania Baldi complemented the reflection, discussing the dangers of democracies that become vulnerable to their own contradictions.
The second panel, “Anti-Democratic Processes and Polarization,” moderated by Maria Asensio, discussed issues such as populism and transitional justice, analysed by Filipa Raimundo and Luca Mannucci, and the impact of the “cordon sanitaire” on the 2024 Portuguese elections, debated by José Santana Pereira and Susana Nina. Roberto Falanga closed with an analysis of the potential of participatory democracy as an antidote to polarization.
Organized by researchers Guya Accornero and Ana Espírito-Santo, the Forum reaffirmed CIES-Iscte's mission to promote interdisciplinary debate on the most pressing issues facing today's societies
