(8 March 2016) In the contemporary world, reflecting on the concept of democracy is increasingly more complex and problematic. Some critical aspects of the concept, and the meaning of democracy itself, are what Sergio Belardinelli knows best. And so the Italian Cultural Institute of Lisbon chose him to guide a collective contemplation on the values that inspire democracy and analyze the changes taking place in our contemporary society. The Professor of Sociology of Cultural Processes at the Department of Political and Social Sciences at the University of Bologna will be at the Institute on March 10 at 7pm. The debate – entitled “Truth and Democracy” – sees the participation of journalist Paolo Longo. Belardinelli is one of the authors of the book “Democracy, reason and truth”, a text that analyzes the theoretical positions of Kelsen, Popper, Polanyi, Perelman, Rawls, Arendt, and Habermas, interpreted under a unifying criterion to shed light on the relationship between truth and democracy. Belardinelli has taught at the University of Bologna in Forlì since 1982, focusing on Sociology of cultural processes. He also taught in several foreign universities, and between 2002 and 2006 he was part of the “National Committee for Bioethics”. Since September 2011, he is a member of the Italian Institute of Germanic Studies Board and is currently serving as Vice President of the Magna Carta Foundation in Rome. During the evening there will also be a short presentation of “Paradoxa”, followed by a speech by Paolo Longo. (Red)
