Can Europe Make It?

Shaping the vote: politics and populism in the media

Does media coverage of issues like immigration, the economy and political scandal exacerbate or merely reflect citizens’ dissatisfaction with politics? In May, a Counterpoint discussion panel explored the impact on populist politics, including UKIP, Front National in France, the PVV in the Netherlands, and the Finns Party in Finland. (Podcast 95 mins)

Counterpoint
4 June 2014

On 15 May, Counterpoint held the discussion panel Shaping the vote: politics and populism in the media. The event took place at the Lecture Theatre of the Free Word Centre.

Speakers included: Suzanne Moore, Sunder Katwala, Catherine Fieschi, Jiska Engelbert, Erkka Railo, Gael Villeneuve and Martin Sandbu.

The event was part of the project ‘Nurturing populism? The impact of the media on the growth of populist right-wing parties in Netherlands, France and Finland’, coordinated by Counterpoint and supported by the Foundation for Democracy and Media and the Wihuri Foundation.

Counterpoint is an independent research and advisory group helping organisations understand the cultural and social dynamics of risk. In The Threats of Populism–Europe’s Reluctant Radicals programme of research and advocacy, Counterpoint investigates the continuing trend of xenophobic populism in Europe. See the Reluctant Radicals feature on openDemocracy.

What can a world in crisis learn from grassroots movements?

For many communities, this is not the first crisis they’ve faced. The lockdown feels familiar to those who have years of experience living and organising in the face of scarce resources and state violence.

So it’s not surprising that grassroots and community activists mobilised quickly in response to COVID-19, from expanding mutual aid groups and launching creative campaigns to getting information out to women at risk of domestic violence.

What can the world learn from these movements to get us through this crisis – and help us rebuild a better world?

Join us on Thursday 2 July at 5pm UK time/12pm EDT for a live discussion on these urgent questions.

Hear from:

Mona Eltahawy Feminist author, commentator and disruptor of patriarchy. Her latest book ‘The Seven Necessary Sins For Women and Girls’ took her disruption worldwide.

Crystal Lameman Member of the Beaver Lake Cree Nation and campaigns against the exploitation of her people and of their land, holding the government of Canada accountable for violations of their treaty rights.

Elif Sarican Activist in the Kurdish Women's Movement, host and producer of Pomegranate Podcast.

Chair: Mary Fitzgerald Editor-in-chief, openDemocracy.

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