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UFS Reflection Series webinar: The quality of our democracies under COVID-19

04 August 2020 | Story Dr Nitha Ramnath

Apart from its devastating impact on people’s lives and livelihoods, the COVID-19 pandemic has also affected the nature and quality of our democracies – democracy read in its widest sense here as collective and individual self-determination. Formal, institutional democracy has beencurtailed through the imposition of states of emergency or disaster and the logistical difficulties associated with social distancing. Extra-institutional democratic work, such as protest and social-movement activity, has suffered from prohibitions imposed by law and through state suppression related to ‘lockdown’. The nature (and perhaps democratic quality) of public conversation has changed – for better or worse – from increasing reliance on ‘science’ and ‘scientists’ to justify public choices. The crisis has brought to the fore already existing characteristics of our democracies, such as the prevalence and power of special-interest bargaining, the extreme inequality of our societies, and chauvinist nationalisms that force us to ask whether we have ever had democracy at all. What will be the long-term effects of these impacts of the crisis on our democracies? What will democracy look like post-COVID? What does the crisis teach us about what our democracies have always been?

Join us for a discussion of these and other democracy-related issues in these troubled times by a panel of four hailing from Colombia, India, South Africa, and the USA.

Date: Thursday, 13 August

Time: 14:00-16:00 (South African Standard Time – GMT +2)

Please RSVP to Mamello Serasengwe at serasengwemsm@ufs.ac.za no later than 12 August 2020 upon which you will receive a Skype for Business meeting invite and link to access the webinar

Panel

Prof Natalia Angel Cabo (University of Los Andes, Bogota, Colombia)

Dr Quaraysha Ismail-Sooliman (University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa)

Dr Usha Ramanathan Independent Law Researcher (Delhi, India)

Prof Katie Young (Boston College, Boston, USA)

Moderator

Prof Danie Brand (Free State Centre for Human Rights, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa)

News Archive

UFS law alumni presents gala dinner

2004-11-05

The Law Alumni of the University of the Free State (UFS) will present a gala dinner on Wednesday 17 November 2004 in honor of the Appeal Court and the Free State Supreme Court.

According to the chairperson of the Law Alumni, Mr Nico Botha, the function will be attended by more than 200 guests from across the country. The main speaker is Mr Pius Langa, acting Chief Justice.

“Through the years the Faculty of Law at the UFS has produced students who have made their mark – not only in the law profession – but also in the trade and industry. In the same sense there are former Kovsies who have even advanced to the Appeal Court and who have produced leading sentences which have contributed to the development of the common law,” said Prof Johan Henning, Dean of the Faculty.

According to Prof Henning the Faculty of Law aims to present students with practical education. To bring this about, close links are maintained with members of the judicial bench and other practitioners – some of whom have been appointed as honorary or extraordinary professors. These professors are obliged to present lectures from time to time and act as a promotor or moderator for postgraduate students.

“It is a priviledge for this Faculty to be involved with the dinner, which forms part of the UFS’s centenary celebrations. The dinner is presented in honor of all members of the different judicial benches – whether they are former Kovsies or not,” said Prof Henning.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
5 November 2004

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