Events

24 March 2010

Futures Thinking Aotearoa

Lecture

Diversity and Democracy

New Zealand has an increasingly diverse population. How can we keep a
diverse society democratic and, conversely, how can we make democratic
practice more inclusive in a diverse society?
This forum will analyse three enduring tensions in the practice of democracy:

· individual rights that all share equally versus special group rights

· individual liberty versus the common good (liberty versus
fraternity)

· democracy conceived and practiced as a 'market' versus democracy
as a 'forum'.

The question then is how to manage these tensions in public life. Some
options that will be presented for discussion are:

· pragmatism (of the crude, horse-trading sort)

· unwavering, winner-takes-all pursuit of some particular social
arrangement or end state

· pragmatism with principles (but which principles, and is the
'western' liberal tradition itself up for grabs?).

Please register your interest in attending by Monday 22 March and obtain a form from info@futurestrust.org.nz