Authoritarianism is on the rise globally, with more than twice as many countries experiencing democratic decline as democratic enhancement in recent years. This has been occurring simultaneously with unprecedented rates of urbanization in many parts of the world, raising questions about the role of cities - often considered the focal points of democratic deepening - in this authoritarian turn.

A large, robust and ever growing body of evidence concludes that if we are to achieve our net zero climate commitments and address our many SDG goals - from zero hunger, to good health and wellbeing, to responsible consumption and production - then diets will need to change.

This panel explores the situation of minorities in the Balkans through the discussion of the Alevis and Bektashis. Comprising a ‘double minority,’ Alevis and Bektashis, are commonly mis-categorised or made invisible through their articulation as part of the Muslim minority communities. In recent years, partly in response to changing political circumstances, increasing conflict and sectarianism, Alevis and Bektashis have started to mobilise to break-out of their marginalised status, and are having to navigate their complex national contexts, transnational linkages, and geopolitical pressures.

On 24 February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, giving rise to the deadliest conflict on European soil since the Second World War. How could this happen in twenty-first-century Europe? Why did Putin decide to escalate Russia’s war against Ukraine, a war which began with Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014?

The historiography of contemporary Europe has predominantly centered around urban and metropolitan experiences. Meanwhile, rural regions, their inhabitants, and village life have often been depicted as hindrances to modernization or as manifestations of backwardness. With the decline of modernization theory's prominence in contemporary history, the emphasis on urban cultures has only intensified. In this regard, I propose a paradigm shift in our approach to contemporary European history, advocating for a greater focus on rural spaces.

Richard Davy has recently published Defrosting the Cold War and beyond: an Introduction to the Helsinki Process, 1954 – 2022 (Routledge, 2023). He will be joined on the platform by Dr Kai Hebel (Assistant Professor, Leiden University, The Netherlands) who is completing his own book on the UK and the Helsinki Process; and Professor Juhana Aunesluoma (University of Helsinki, Finland, and Visiting Scholar at St Antony’s College).

The discussion will be chaired by Professor Anne Deighton (Wolfson College)

On 15 November 2023, leaders of the European Union (EU) and 79 states in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific (ACP) will meet in Samoa to sign the successor to the Cotonou Agreement, which will govern their relations for at least 20 years across various policy areas, namely development, migration, environment and climate change, peace and security, human rights and democracy, trade and investment.