Evening school: “Redesigning Democracy”
We’re often told that our democratic institutions are under pressure and must be preserved as they are. But what if that pressure is actually a chance to reinvent them? “Redesigning Democracy” kicks off with three conversations exploring new paths for democratic change.
Systems are often said to fail when they no longer fit reality. Yet they fail more fundamentally when they mistake themselves for reality. Democracy is no exception.
The evening school, “Redesigning Democracy,” is organized by Copenhagen Architecture forum and is linked to the exhibition “Imperfect Assemblies.” It looks at situations where democracy can change in facing realities it was not designed to accommodate. Each evening brings together philosophers, theologians, political theorists, architects, community workers, curators, and a futures practitioner. Across three evenings, the focus is on future generations, non-human life, and refugees.
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Tuesday 12/5 at 17.00
1. Who speaks for the future?
On the Architecture of Intergenerational Democracy
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Tuesday 19/5 at 17.00
2. Can other species be part of the political community?
On the Architecture of Interspecies Democracy
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Tuesday 26/5 at 17.00
3. How can participation be reimagined for refugees?
On the Architecture of Interlegal Democracy
The format is simple. It’s a conversation series. People speak, others listen. You can show up and follow without preparation. Each conversation lasts around 45-60 minutes, followed by questions and some discussion. We usually start from a concrete case or example, and use that to open up the broader questions. Afterward, people stay for a beer or a soda, and the conversation often continues informally. You don’t need prior knowledge to follow, and there’s no expectation to speak but questions and reactions are welcome if you want to join in. The aim isn’t to present a finished answer. It’s to stay with situations where things don’t line up, where it’s unclear who counts, who speaks, and how decisions are justified.
You can meet:
Lucy Reid is Chief Strategy & Creative Officer at DemocracyNext and co-author of the report More-than-human governance experiments in Europe, focusing on innovative approaches to governance that integrate ecological and civic perspectives.
Mohammed Zanboa is a Syrian architect, researcher, and photographer based in Luxembourg, founder of Municipality 101, working on spatial justice and refugee inclusion through collaborative urban and civic initiatives.
Nicklas Larsen is Director and Head of Impact and Development at Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies, a futures practitioner working on intergenerational fairness and advancing futures thinking in education, policy, and governance.
Kolja Dahlin is a senior consultant at We Do Democracy who has helped build Den Grønne Ungdomsbevægelse since 2018, specializing in citizen assemblies and participatory democratic processes that connect citizens, organizations, and public authorities.
Pernille Maria Bärnheim is Vice Director of CAFx, Associate Director of SDGs Local Learning Studio, and a board member of Building Diversity. She developed the educational format for children and young people “We Communities Our City,” has published articles and books, curated exhibitions and programs, and conducted research in Latin America focusing on the relationship between sociality and the built environment. She has a background in critical urban studies, curatorial studies, and film.
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