Conference on democracy set for Feb. 27-28

A two-day conference bringing together 50 democracy scholars from around the world will take place Feb. 27 and 28 at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center.

The University of Connecticut Democracy and Democratization Conference will feature 10 panels, two keynote addresses, and a workshop on human rights. The event, which begins at noon on Friday, is free and open to the public. Registration is at 11:15 a.m.

Participants will discuss topics including human rights, political participation, political theory, and political development focusing on a variety of regions in the world.

On Friday, Feb. 27, Ian Shapiro, Sterling Professor of Political Science at Yale University, will give the keynote address at 5:45 p.m.

He will discuss “Luck, Leadership, and Legitimacy in Transitions to Democracy: Lessons from South Africa and the Middle East.”

A luncheon and keynote address on Saturday, Feb. 28 will feature UConn’s UNESCO Chair in Human Rights, Amii Omara-Otunnu.

The program will conclude with an interactive workshop on the relationship between democracy and human rights.

The conference was organized by graduate students in the political science department. Sponsors include the Human Rights Institute, UConn’s UNESCO Chair, the political science department, Provost Peter Nicholls, Jeremy Teitelbaum, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the Louis Gerson Fund.