PhD IDS: 3rd PhD conference in The Hague

PhD IDS students participated in the 3rd PhD conference at the International Institute of Social Sciences (ISS) in The Hague.

The 3rd PhD conference took place at the International Institute of Social Sciences (ISS) in The Hague from 17 to 18 October 2014. This year the conference was combined with the 12th Development Dialogue at the ISS and featured panel discussions and a keynote speech concerning the overall topic of "Rethinking Democracy". In his keynote address Prof. Wil Hout (ISS) put up for discussion the concept of hybrid regimes dealing with the "grey zone" of stable state systems which are neither totally democratic nor totally authoritarian. The address was discussed – among others – by Prof. Christof Hartmann from IEE partner institution, the Institute of Political Sciences (IfP) of the University of Duisburg-Essen. Forty PhD students from almost all continents of the world presented their research work in nine different thematic panel sessions all dealing with the general theme of the conference "Rethinking Democracy" from quite a range of perspectives. Two IEE PhD students also contributed in the panel sessions. Sascha Rosenberger presented his paper entitled "Preventing Democracy through Education" in the panel session "Rethinking Governance & Democracy", whereas Raffael Beier presented his PhD project under the heading "Slum Clearance in Morocco – Welfare Gains for Whom?" in the panel session "Social Movements, Grassroots, Civil Society: Resistances and Alternatives." Anja Zorob acted as a discussant of the panel session "Global Governance and Development Cooperation." During the conference Prof. Löwenstein and Leo de Haan (Rector of the ISS) signed a partnership agreement between the two institutes for the purpose of establishing a joint PhD programme.

Raffael Beier
Research Fellow and PhD IDS student
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