210097 SE M3: Democracy as a way of life (2024W)

It is not given to every man to take a bath of multitude; enjoying a crowd is an art; and only he can relish a debauch of vitality at the expense of the human species, on whom, in his cradle, a fairy has bestowed the love of masks and masquerading, the hate of home, and the passion for roaming. – Charles Baudelaire, “Crowds”

Democracy is usually defined as a form of government in which power comes from the people. The electoral process and competition between the parties are at its heart. However, democracy is not limited to going to the ballot box, party politics or parliamentary debates. The often-diagnosed crisis of traditional representative institutions in particular makes us more aware of the fact that democracy is not only a form of government, but also a way of life. Our customs and manners, how we talk and argue with each other, how we treat our neighbours, and include minorities - all of this seems important for the survival of democracy. But what exactly is distinctive for a democratic way of life? And what puts democratic ways of life at risk? The aim of this interdisciplinary seminar is to explore these questions.

Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859) is a key figure in a longer tradition of political thought that conceives of democracy as a way of life, and his writings will serve as our point of departure. The French aristocrat and author of the classic "Democracy in America" dealt intensively with the everyday realities of early American democracy, which he attempted to document as a scientific observer. For Tocqueville, it was clear that democracy changes human mores: We become ‘softer’, friendlier, less complicated, and more egalitarian. Based on this idea, the seminar is dedicated to the central settings of the democratic way of life: the family, the neighbourhood, associational life and the big city. In the final part, the current challenges of democratic ways of life will be discussed in detail: From segregation to the marginalisation of minorities and the interaction on social media to the often underestimated problem of chronic loneliness.