We are under threat from dark forces. Who can save our democracy – the city or the state. Eric Corijn, professor of Cultural Philosophy, founder of Cosmopolis and advisory board member of the Global Parliament of Mayors explains why it is in cities that the battle of democracy will be won or lost. Cities are closer to citizens and in many places you see the world in one city. It is here that the challenges and opportunities of diversity can best be addressed once the many unheard voices can come to the fore once we think, plan and act differently. That potential civic energy needs to be unleashed and that will require new ways of decision making and thankfully many examples exist.
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Can Cities Save Democracy?
Eric Corijn, Charles Landry
Eric is a cultural philosopher and social scientist. He is professor (em.) social & cultural geography at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and founder of COSMOPOLIS, as well as vice chair of the Brussels Studies Institute, director of the Brussels Academy, member of the jury Stadsvernieuwingsprojecten Flanders and chair of think tanks Vooruitgroep and Aula Magna.
Charles Landry works with cities around the world to help them make the most of their potential and facilitates complex urban change projects. His aim is to connect the triad culture, creativity and city making. He is co-founder of the Creative Bureaucracy Festival. He twice chaired the European Capital of Innovation Award as well as the EU Research & Innovation Commission project ‘The human-centred city: Opportunities for citizens through research and innovation’. He has published extensively – most recently ‘The Civic City in a Nomadic World’, ‘The Creative Bureaucracy’ (with Margie Caust), ‘An Advanced Introduction to the Creative City’, ‘Psychology & the City’ (with Chris Murray) and ‘The Digitized City’. You can download these books as PDF files via Charles’ website: https://charleslandry.com