The many recent changes that have followed the global financial and political crisis have brought to the surface a number of growing challenges for contemporary society. These changes have challenged the capitalist system and the ways in which national and global economies are managed. They have provoked new forms of citizen self-organization beyond established forms of political representation, including the increased participation of youth. They have also afforded space for more radical demands on the part of populist leaders and movements in both old and new democracies. And they have shaken the European project as well as the global political order. What are the future prospects of these global developments? Will they entail greater insecurity or will they provide new opportunities for the advancement of society and human well-being?

The conference format will consist of plenary and parallel thematic sessions in accordance with the suggested themes and specific topics listed below:

Challenges for democracy and democratization * The new wave of social and popular movements: demands for democratization in East and West, South and North * Populist political parties and populist movements: burning challenges for liberal democracy? * How to cope with economic and political instability: challenges for the European project * Challenging the gender gap in traditional and new forms of political representation

New media, new communication, new identities * Old and new media: what is old and what is new in the communication practices of contemporary society? * The role of new social media in new social movements * New cultures and identities in contemporary society

Social challenges for contemporary society * State interventionism, the labour market and pension systems reform: challenges for the current capitalist system and wealth distribution * Population and development * Mental health issues: how to cope with increasing insecurity in contemporary society?

Management, business and workforce issues in the 21st Century * The evolution of organization, work and the worker * Managerial and entrepreneurial challenges in developed and developing economies * Emerging trends in Human Resource Management * Ethical issues in today’s business world * Youth and (un)employment.

For further information please contact: Aneta Cekik