Design, Decide, Democracy
Organised By New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai
Participants: Students aged 16-21 years
At this critical juncture, it is important to ask ourselves, what is democracy? Is it a system that can be easily manipulated by those in power? Do we as citizens have a say? Do we have the right to criticise the government for its actions or inactions? All these questions are now at the forefront of any national debate on governance and self-determination.
It is important to note, that democracy is a continuous process and the understanding of rights, duties, power and responsibility needs to be systematically refreshed since these notions can easily be manipulated and misrepresented due to changing socio-political realities.
The primary aim of this project is to deconstruct the different aspects of democracy for a young audience. A general understanding about democratic processes is lacking, largely due to the dearth of a balanced discourse around the topic and the rise of misinformation.
Through a series of keynote lectures, impulse and mentoring sessions, and project work - the programme attempts to explore basic notions of 'Populism', 'Representation', 'Institution', 'Press', 'Civil Society' and 'Sovereignty', which play pivotal roles in a democratic society.
The programme will allow participants the freedom to choose their own topics and mode of presentation. The project will culminate with a ‘Mock Parliament’ consisting of representatives elected from within the participants. It is hoped that at the end of the project, this group will a glimpse into the workings of a democratic system and its processes.
Details
Language: English