The City as a Democratic Frontier in an 'Authoritarian Age'

Cities are often described as inherently more progressive and cosmopolitan than nation states. But is this true, and if yes, why? This event explores the connections between cities and democracy and asks how cities might support an alternative politics able to resist the appeal of populism and nationalism.

This event will form the public element in an academic three-day workshop, on cities, democracy and authoritarianism, organised by LSE, Kings College London and Queen Mary, University of London.

Meet our speakers and chair

Femke Halsema has served as Mayor of Amsterdam since 2018, making history by becoming the first female mayor of the city. Halsema is a member of the GroenLinks political party and was the leader from 2002 to 2010. As mayor, she focuses on various aspects of city governance, including urban development, sustainability and social cohesion. Halsema works hard to address challenges facing Amsterdam, such as affordable housing, tourism management and the integration of diverse communities. Before her political career, Halsema worked as a journalist and columnist.

Sheila R. Foster is Professor of Climate at Columbia University and Affiliated Faculty at Columbia Law School. Foster is well known for her articles and books on environmental and climate justice, land use, local government, and urban policy. She co-directs LabGov, an international applied research laboratory that pioneered the Co-City approach — a framework for collaborative, community-oriented urban governance now implemented across cities globally, set forth in her award-winning MIT Press book Co-Cities: Innovative Transitions toward Just and Self-Sustaining Communities (with Christian Iaione). She previously held endowed chairs in urban law and policy at Georgetown and Fordham Universities.

Avner de Shalit received his D.Phil. from Oxford in 1990 and has been at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem since then. He is the author of 9 books, most recent of which are Disadvantage (with Jonathan Wolff, Oxford UP), The Spirit of Cities (with Daniel Bell, Princeton UP), Cities and Immigration (Oxford UP) and City of Equals (with Jonathan Wolff, Oxford UP). Outside the campus, he has been active in several movements for peace with the Palestinians and against the current war.

Ben Rogers is a Distinguished Policy Fellow in Government Innovation at LSE Cities. He is widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading thinkers on urban governance, public service reform and the future of city leadership. Ben has worked across local and central government, including as a team leader in the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit, where he focused on planning, urban design and quality of place. He previously served as Associate Director at the Institute for Public Policy Research and was a member of the London Finance Commission.

LSE Cities is an international centre that investigates the complexities of the contemporary city. It carries out research, graduate and executive education, engagement and advisory activities in London and abroad.

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