The Rule of Law and the “Many Democracies” - Freiburger Afrikagespräch

Abstract

Recent reconfigurations of politics in some parts of the world—brought about by elections—attest both to what is desirable and undesirable about democracy. Democracy is commonly valued for furthering freedom and equality. However, at the same time, it is susceptible to demagoguery.

What is it that distinguishes the different forms of democracy or democratic practices (the many democracies) as truly democratic? How do we draw a line between regimes that are actually democratic and those that are not; that call themselves democracies but are in fact autocracies or totalitarian systems?

As part of his attempt to answer these questions, Etieyibo will revisit the concept of the rule of law (RoL): its central role in the protection of citizens’ rights and the non-arbitrary exercise of government or state powers. In this sense, the RoL can be understood as a crucial political and legal element of democracy. Etieyibo’s motivation is to discuss the relationship between the RoL and democracy: How does a focus on RoL help us to make sense of the many democracies? And how to distinguish between societies that are indeed democratic and those that are not?

Speaker

Edwin Etieyibo is Professor of Philosophy at the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), and Adjunct Professor at the University of Alberta (Canada). He specializes in several areas in philosophy including African philosophy, critical thinking/elementary logic, decolonization, ethics, history of philosophy, intercultural philosophy, philosophy for (and with) children, philosophies of disability and law, social and political philosophy, and social contract theories.

Etieyibo served, for many years, as the Secretary/Treasurer of the International Society for African Philosophy and Studies, was the Editor- in-Chief of the South African Journal of Philosophy, and currently is the Secretary of the African Philosophy Society, a pan-African organisation, which he co-founded and, that organises research clusters among African philosophers as well as mentors younger scholars in African philosophy.

His most recent publications include A Case for Environmental Justice (2022).

Picture (c) Edwin Etieyibo

The event will be moderated by Prof. Dr. Andreas Mehler, Director of the ACT. The event language will be english.