The School of Law of UCLan Cyprus is pleased to announce a Summer School that will take place on the 18th and 19th of September 2020, within the framework of the Jean Monnet Module ‘European Union Law and Governance in Populist Times.’
- The Summer School will take place simultaneously on site at the UCLan Cyprus campus and online via Microsoft Teams.
- The event will run from 14.30-19.15 on the 18th of September and from 9.00-18.30 on the 19th of September.
The Project
The European Union is faced with a threat to its very foundations through the rise of right-wing populist narratives and political parties. The current climate of uncertainty, migration flows without adequate integration policies in many European countries, including Cyprus, and the rise of fake news particularly online, further exacerbated in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, constitute a fertile setting for the rise of right-wing populists. Such phenomena are damaging in themselves but also in relation to the protection of the rule of law and human rights. The proposed module is established on research-informed teaching of the soft and hard tools available at an EU level to challenge the right-wing populist threat and its manifestation in the form of (i) deterioration of the rule of law or risk thereto (ii) hate speech including online hate speech (iii) hate crime (iv) aggressive Euroscepticsm currently tainting Europe at a local, national, and regional level. To this end, the module entitled ‘European Union Law and Governance in Populist Times’ was developed on the premise that there exists an urgent need to:
(i) develop research in the area, which continues to remain underdeveloped,
(ii) enhance teaching excellence in the field so as to ensure that young professionals and graduates are well equipped with the ability to understand the regulatory framework of the EU,
(iii) foster coherent dialogue between stakeholders, civil society, and academics on the topic and
(iv) offer a core output to the European Commission on guidelines for improvement of the current regulatory framework.
The Summer School
The Summer School will look at populism and its manifestations from the perspective of law, theory, and political science. Participants will gain a good understanding of the definitional, theoretical, and contextual framework of populism and its manifestations, as well as an in-depth understanding of the EU’s toolbox in tackling effects of right-wing populism as these are witnessed today in Europe, including deteriorations of the rule of law, discriminatory policies, and hate speech. The Summer School will also include sessions on the socio-legal and political significance of protecting social and economic rights in times of crisis, the link between financial and social crises, and the rise of both right- and left-wing populism in Europe today. Materials for the Summer School will be available electronically. For more information, including a frequently updated bibliography on the topic, visit https://eupopulism.eu/.
The Summer School will employ a mélange of formal- and non-formal educational methodology, placing the learner at the epicentre of the learning process. It will include a selection of lectures, materials, but also interactive workshops led by eminent experts.
Certificates of completion will be issued to those attending the entire event (CPD units available).
Target Group
PhD students, early career researchers, advanced students in fields such as law, European Studies, sociology, or politics, policy-makers, members of civil society, stakeholders, professionals.
Costs
There is no registration cost. All meals will be provided to those attending in person. Flights and accommodation for international participants are not covered. Given the current pandemic, it is highly recommended that international participants attend virtually via MS Teams (the link will be provided following registration).
Contact and Application to Participate
If you wish to apply for a place, please send your CV and a 1-page cover letter explaining why you wish to participate in the summer school, what you can contribute to it, and how you will use the learning outcomes in your academic/professional/social settings. Please indicate whether you intend to participate in person or online (via MS Teams). You may send the above, or any other enquiries you have, to info@eupopulism.eu.
For further information, you may reach us at +357 24694008.
Deadline to apply: 5th August 2020
Notification of results: 12th August 2020
Disclaimer: The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
