Democracy is widely seen as being under threat. Our discussion will reflect critically on how it is presented in both political rhetoric and academic debates. We will ponder the socio-political origins of constitutions, their purpose in the historical context of state formation and the evolving meanings and expectations attached to citizenship. Can populism be seen as an inevitable by- product of constitutional democracy as it is understood and ‘sold’ to the people? Does the dominant approach to democracy work in the era of globalization?

Monographs by Christopher Thornhill ‘Democratic Crisis and Global Constitutional Law’, and by Linda Colley ‘The Gun, the Ship and the Pen’ will be used to frame the
discussion.