Panelists:
Samuel Vernet (Aix Marseille Université, Sociolinguistics)
Dr. Dennis Frieß (HHU, Political Communication)
Dr. Gwenaëlle Bauvois (University of Helsinki, Sociology)
Moderation: Dr. Ana Yara Postigo Fuentes (HHU)
A public roundtable will open the Summer School “Agonality in Times of Crisis: Linguistic and Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Current Socio-Political Discourse”, bringing together international experts to discuss the role of conflict, free speech, and pluralism in today’s polarized societies. The session will explore how agonality can support democratic dialogue in times of crisis, from interdisciplinary perspectives.
The summer school aims to address the complex dynamics at play in contemporary discourse by taking an interdisciplinary perspective on the question of how conflict and agonality can be constructive forces in maintaining a healthy democratic discourse. It brings together researchers from fields such as linguistics, sociology, history, law, and philosophy, who have all worked extensively on discourse dynamics in political and societal conflicts. This theme is particularly pertinent at a time when societies are grappling with how to balance free speech, tolerance, and political correctness, and when there is a growing need for strategies that can sustain open, pluralistic dialogue amidst competing political narratives.