Circle U. Open Conversation: "From Global Convergence to Multipolar Conflict"

In his keynote lecture, Branko Milanović (CUNY, New York) will explain how rising inequalities between rich and poor are putting increasing pressure on democratic systems, fueling political polarisation and contributing to the erosion of democratic norms in many societies. Drawing on decades of research into global income distribution, Milanović will show how inequality intersects with broader forces such as geopolitical competition, social fragmentation and competing models of governance, raising urgent questions about the stability and resilience of democratic institutions. 

Against a backdrop of shifting power dynamics, marked by geopolitical rivalry, democratic backsliding and uncertainty about the future of the liberal international order, the lecture addresses a central challenge of our time: How can democratic societies confront rising inequality without undermining political freedoms or sliding toward authoritarianism?

Participants

Keynote: Branko Milanović, City University of New York

Discussants: Dan Banik (University of Oslo), Mihail Arandarenko (University of Belgrade), Anica Kovačević, PhD student (University of Belgrade & IES)

Moderator: Nemanja Dzuverovic, Full proffesor at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade

Registration

To join this Open Conversation, please fill in the registration form by 23 April.