Keynote on Political Parties and Representation at Fudan University

On 18 May 2024, Dario Castiglione (University of Exeter) delivered a keynote speech at the Conference on Political Parties and Good Governance, hosted by Fudan University in Shanghai, China.

The keynote introduced the REDIRECT project to an international audience, outlining its research agenda and key contributions to the study of democratic representation. Castiglione focused in particular on the evolving role of political parties, highlighting their centrality in mediating the relationship between citizens and institutions — as well as the pressures they face in contemporary democracies.

The address reflected on how parties’ organisational forms, societal linkages, and legitimacy have been transformed in recent decades, and how these changes relate to broader patterns of representative disconnect. By engaging with both empirical findings and normative debates, the speech illustrated how REDIRECT seeks to bridge academic research and real-world democratic concerns.

This event offered a valuable platform to present the project’s objectives in a global setting and to connect its themes with discussions on governance and political reform in diverse democratic contexts.

Date: 18 May 2024
Location: Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Partner: University of Exeter (UNEXE)
Participant: Dario Castiglione
Type of event: Keynote speech / International academic meeting

#PoliticalParties #DemocraticRepresentation #GoodGovernance #REDIRECT #FudanUniversity