European Democracy Institute: Recent Activities and New Initiatives

The European Democracy Institute (EDI) at Bard College Berlin has begun 2026 with a vibrant program of events, collaborations, and new formats, all aimed at fostering critical dialogue on democracy, technology, and globalization.

Technoligarchy, Globalization, and Democracy: A Workshop
Organized by EDI program leader Dr. Michael Weinman, the Institute co-hosted a two-day workshop (January 28-29) with the Indiana University European Gateway examining the rise of “Technoligarchy”—the concentration of power among tech elites—and its implications for democratic governance. Scholars presented research on data sovereignty, the ideological foundations of techno-oligarchies, and the role of AI in reshaping political landscapes. The public panel, “Technoligarchy and the Future of Democratic Globalization,” featured Christoph Henning (University of Humanistic Studies, Utrecht) in conversation with Dale Mineshima-Lowe (Parami University) and Rodolfo Garau (Technische Universität Nürnberg), with Ewa Atanassow (Bard College Berlin) moderating. 

Democratizing Globalization Working Group
On February 24, the working group on “Democratizing Globalization” convened in an online workshop to discuss the Federalist Papers, focusing on themes of national identity, federalism, and the question of scale in political action. Participants explored how democratic principles can be applied at large scales, addressing the tension between local autonomy and global governance.

New Media Partnership: Talking Europe
In March, the Institute launched “Talking Europe,” a new podcast series in collaboration with Europapodcast. In the opening episode, co-hosts Christoph F. Siekermann and Manuel Knapp joined EDI co-directors Berit Ebert and Boris Vormann to discuss the Institute’s mission: rethinking European democracy by examining its political, social, and cultural foundations. Ebert underscored the need to connect research, education, and public engagement, while Vormann highlighted the EDI’s role as a space for in-depth reflection, contrasting today’s rapid-fire debate culture. The partnership will translate the Institute’s work—from research to public events—into accessible audio content, featuring experts from EDI’s programs and offering some episodes in English. Listen to the first episode here.

Relaunch of the Democracy Seminar
The European Democracy Institute has relaunched the Democracy Seminar as a collaborative online publication project with the Transregional Center for Democratic Studies (TCDS) at The New School for Social Research (NSSR). The Democracy Seminar fosters wide-ranging conversations and reaches readers beyond academia, publishing short think pieces by a global network of scholars and intellectuals from across the democratic left, right, and center. Led by Michael Weinman (Indiana University), the seminar’s editorial team includes Siobhan Kattago (University of Tartu), Jeffrey Goldfarb (The New School), and Lala Pop. The Democracy Seminar aims to cultivate a critical understanding of today’s challenges, encouraging democrats worldwide to learn from one another and open new avenues for collective thought and action.

Post Date: 03-25-2026