Registration ends 07.4.2026 at 23:59 h

Democracies around the world are under pressure from right-wing populism, polarization, and ecological crises. Elected politicians often face strong constraints—from upcoming elections and media reactions to party discipline—when making important decisions. At the same time, many citizens are dissatisfied with how democracy works in practice and doubt whether governments can address the most pressing political challenges.
Against this backdrop, an unlikely coalition of actors—ranging from conservative and progressive political parties to scientific advisory bodies like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and activist movements such as Extinction Rebellion—has promoted a new political institution: citizens’ assemblies.
Citizens’ assemblies bring together randomly selected citizens who develop policy proposals on public issues after hearing from experts and deliberating with one another. Supporters argue that such bodies can rebuild public trust and improve decision-making because participants do not have to worry about elections. Critics, however, warn that they may undermine representative institutions like parliaments or have little real political impact. Who is right?

In this course, we will take a deep dive into the debates surrounding citizens’ assemblies bridging political science and theory with practical politics. We will explore big questions—such as Who should speak for me in a representative democracy? and What makes political decisions legitimate?—as well as practical ones, including How should citizens be selected?; How can assemblies ensure diverse representation?; and Do assemblies lead to more effective climate policy? Held in seminar format, the course will combine lecture-style input, student presentations, group discussions, and readings.

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