Report Roundtable ‘Building Participatory Welfare Societies’

The activity continued on two traditions. On one hand it is following the last years’ phenomenal gathering, which was held at the University of Lisbon and involved over 300 participants from Portugal and beyond. Then the reflection was focused on the question of deliberative and participatory democracy in the context of looking for a New Social Deal – and hence also the vol. 6 of the FEPS Next Left book series was launched there.

On the other hand, the discussion covered the topic launched within the ideological deliberations of the FEPS Next Left Focus Group at the beginning of this year – which looks at the vision of welfare society as a new answer to the existing inequalities and distributional conflicts and aims at defining the new progressive socio-economic paradigm that could pave the way for Europe of prosperity and social progress again. The record of the initial debate that took place in Barcelona on 14th – 15th March can be retrieved here.

The conference “Building Participatory Welfare Societies” featured the sessions entitled ‘Promise of Socio-Economic Empowerment’, ‘The Mission in the Name of Social Security’ and A Quest for Trust in Politics’ and was closed with a round of reflections by Jose Antonio Seguro and Dr. ALfred Gusenbauer, Chair of the FEPS Next Left Research Programme. 

Last but not least, the event was an opportunity for FEPS to promote vol. 7 ‘In the name of Political Union – Europarties on the Rise’ and vol. 8 ‘Framing a New Progressive Narrative’ of the FEPS Next Left books.

For more information, please contact Dr. Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Senior Research Fellow ania.skrzypek@feps-europe.eu or Ms. Ischi Graus, FEPS Events Coordinator at ischi. graus@feps-europe.eu.