| Background and agenda The theme of Democracy and Diversity was chosen in view of its high relevance for both developed and developing societies, and considering the serious challenges and dilemmas governments, parties, civil society organizations and other political actors face in addressing human diversity in its multiple forms and manifestations. The Round Table brought together a group of committed intellectuals - writers, political and social scientists, activists and thinkers - and provided a forum for the presentation and discussion of critical policy-related issues that draws on a wide variety of experiences and perspectives. Related Open Democracy resources - Democracy, diversity and Europe
David Hayes, deputy editor of openDemocracy, considers "democracy and diversity" in its European context, alongside a selection of relevant material from openDemocracy's archive. Open Democracy offers stimulating, critical analysis, promotes dialogue and debate on issues of global importance and links citizens from around the world. Contact: Mark Salter, Senior Programme Officer at International IDEA |
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Feature article reporting on the Round Table: Confronting the 'Turtle Tendency' Views on democracy and diversity Speakers at the Round Table share their answers to the questions: What is the experience of your country in dealing with diversity? What are the main challenges it faces in this respect to democracy today? Canada  Kim Campbell, former Prime Minister of Canada
“When you talk about the challenges of diversity I don’t think there is any place in the world that has them anymore than Canada, historically and in terms of what we are dealing with today.” Listen to the interview | Read the interview Spain  Enrique Ojeda, Fundación Tres Culturas
“The problem is the real integration, the social and urban integration, the schooling, making immigrants part of our society, not only having them enjoying the rights that they have received so far...but also their duties. Performing their duties is how they become full citizens.” Listen to the interview | Read the interview India  Rajeev Bhargava, University of New Delhi
“Any democracy requires both that there be a shared culture and a shared identity. But if that democracy has deep social cultural and religious diversity then it has two options, one is to reject them and the other is to accommodate them...” Listen to the interview | Read the interview India  Sona Khan, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India
“The pluralism of India can be a source of great appreciation for all those cultures, which tend to feel a little bit pushed to the wall when they are faced with diversity of the kinds that they are not familiar with or that they wish to share in the process.” Listen to the interview | Read the interview The Netherlands  Theo Veenkamp, Senior Advisor, Van Vollenhoven Institute for Law, Governance and Deveopment, Leiden University
“We haven’t found new mechanisms yet for dealing in a contemporary way with diversity…” Listen to the interview  Switzerland
Tariq Ramadan, St Antony's College, Oxford University
“We need to come up with a balanced approach of commonalities and dealing with diversity. And the commonalities are really first to agree on something which is clear, simple, and with which we have to be consistent.” Listen to the interview | Read the interview United Kingdom  Neal Ascherson, Open Democracy
“The key experience has been the growing decay of the idea of Britishness, the question about what it is. It has been the difficulty, particularly among the English, of understanding the difference between a nation and a state.” Listen to the interview | Read the interview Other keynote speakers |
