India China Institute: ‘Exemplars in Global Health? Comparing Asia’s Many Responses to COVID 19’ - 12 November 2020, 9.00-10.30 (EST)

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Even as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be marked by ebbs and flows, a handful of countries in Asia have had relatively sustained success in curtailing morbidity and mortality. No single reason – such as regime type, surveillance technology, or experience with past epidemics - seems to explain these countries’ comparative achievements. This panel will bring together experts from different states including Japan, Vietnam, China, and South Korea. The juxtaposition of these national experiences will aim to illuminate the constellation of historical, political, infrastructural, and other factors that undergird competent public health responses.

Speakers:

Yanzhong Huang - Senior Fellow for Global Health, Council on Foreign Relations, and Professor and Director of Global Health Studies at Seton Hall University's School of Diplomacy and International Relations

Todd Pollack - Country Director, The Partnership for Health Advancement in Vietnam and Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Pan Suk Kim - Professor of Global Public Administration, Yonsei University

Kazuto Suzuki - Professor of International Politics, Graduate School of Public Policy, The University of Tokyo

Political Studies Association: ‘PSA Parliaments Annual Conference: The Impact of COVID-19 on Parliaments’ - 11 November 2020, 14.00-16.00 (GMT)

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This year we are holding our Annual Conference online and we have got a humdinger of a panel to start us off.

Our topic is the impact of COVID-19 on parliaments and our speakers are:

• Meg Russell on "The principles and practice of parliamentary functioning post-COVID-19: challenges and opportunities";

• Philip Norton on "Parliaments and informal space: the unseen impact of crisis";

• Dalila Maulide on "Inter-parliamentary cooperation in times of pandemics"; and

• Kuffour Nimako Anning on "The past, present and future debates of Ghana’s parliament: making it possible amidst COVID-19"

Stanford University: ‘Democracy Matters: The Election Results and What's Next’ - 10 November 2020, 12.30-13.50 (PT)

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As the 2020 election approaches, faculty members from across Stanford will explore and examine some of the biggest challenges facing society today. Each week will be dedicated to a different topic, ranging from health care and the economy to racial injustice and challenges to democracy. Faculty with expertise in philosophy, economics, law, political science, psychology, medicine, history, and more will come together for lively conversations about the issues not only shaping this election season but also the nation and world at large.

Panelists:

Emilee Chapman (political science): Democracy and voting

Francis Fukuyama (political science): Overcoming polarization

Anna Grzymala-Busse (political science): Populism around the world

Michael McFaul (political Science and FSI): U.S. foreign policy in dealing with the great power competition, China and Russia

Brookings Institute: ‘Election 2020: State of play and implications’ - 10 November 2020, 14.00-15.00 (EST)

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As many predicted, the 2020 election results were not finalized on Election Day. Voter turnout surged across the country, with record participation numbers that shattered levels from previous years. More than 100 million people voted early nationwide, and the country is on track for the highest turnout in more than a century.

Donald Trump and Joe Biden remain neck and neck in a handful of battleground states that have yet to declare a winner. Some House races across the country remain undecided, and control of the Senate hangs in the balance. Results have been trickling in slowly but mounting legal action and false accusations of voting fraud threaten to further delay the results.

On November 10, Governance Studies at Brookings will host a webinar examining the results of the 2020 election. Panelists will analyze state-by-state outcomes, voter turnout trends, election administration, implications for future policy implementation, and the stakes of American democracy.

Bond University Faculty of Law: ‘COVID-19 and Human Rights: Balancing Obligations During Extraordinary Times' - 10 November 2020, 17.00-18.00 (AEST)

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COVID-19 is causing a health emergency but also a human rights emergency. All governments have human rights obligations (regarding rights to life and health) to take measures to combat COVID-19. However, those same measures often interfere with other human rights, such as rights to livelihood, education, and association. How is it possible to work out the appropriate balance in this extraordinary time of COVID? The speaker will also address human rights issues arising from the pandemic regarding access to information, and will foreshadow human rights issues that will arise with regard to any vaccine.

V-Dem Institute: ‘Democracy and Disinformation during the Covid-19 Pandemic’ - 2 November 2020, 15.00-16.30 (CET)

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How do government responses to Covid-19 violate democratic standards? How do such violations relate to the countries’ success in limiting the Covid-19 death tolls? V-Dem Institute welcomes you to a virtual discussion on Democracy and Disinformation During the Covid-19 Pandemic on 2nd November 2020.

This webinar discusses the latest findings from the Pandemic Backsliding Project released in early October. The Project tracks state responses to the Covid-19 pandemic in 144 countries to pin down how the pandemic puts democracy at risk. V-Dem scholars have used this data to analyze whether the violation of democratic standards is linked to a successful Covid-19 responses.

The event will be followed with a question and answer session on Slido www.slido.do with hashtag #PanDem2020.

Speakers:

Per Olsson Fridh - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sweden

Anna Lührmann - V-Dem Institute

Seraphine F. Maerz - V-Dem Institute

Sandra Grahn - V-Dem Institute

Amanda B. Edgell - University of Alabama

Jean Lachapelle - V-Dem Institute

OSCE: ‘The role of human rights defenders in promoting and protecting human rights’ - 6 November 2020, 14.30-16.30 (CET)

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This thematic webinar will reflect on the role of human rights defenders in promoting and protecting human rights across the OSCE region over the past 30 years - including the role of national human rights institutions (NHRIs).

This online panel discussion will examine challenges facing defenders, taking into account the specific challenges that arise in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will also seek to identify measures that governments should take to address these challenges in line with their commitments, highlighting good practices relating to the protection of human rights defenders.

The panel discussion will aim to answer the following questions:

• What is the role of NHRIs and other human rights defenders in promoting and protecting human rights?

• What are challenges facing human rights defenders, including NHRIs, in the context of or as a result of their human rights work?

• What are the specific COVID-19 related challenges for human rights defenders, including NHRIs?

• What measures should be taken to address these challenges?

• What examples are there of positive measures taken by OSCE participating States, including in the area of human rights education, relating to the protection of human rights defenders and enabling their work?

IACL-AIDC & Trinity College Dublin: ‘Constitutional emergency frameworks: Experiences with COVID-19’ - 5 November 2020, 18.00 (AEST)

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The International Association of Constitutional Law—in association with Trinity Research in Social Sciences and the Trinity Centre for Constitutional Governance—will hold the first webinar of the recently formed Research Group on Public Law Responses to Public Health Emergencies.

State responses to COVID-19 engage the full breadth of public law. Comparative constitutional scholarship is critical in enabling countries to learn from the experiences of others as we face a common challenge.

This webinar will address one of the central themes of the Research Group, namely the balance between executives and parliaments in both the enactment and oversight of legal measures. Prof Cheryl Saunders will reflect on the topic, ‘Constitutional emergency frameworks: Experiences with COVID-19’. The webinar will be moderated by Prof Oran Doyle.

Brookings Institute: ‘Election 2020: Results and implications’ - 4 November 2020, 14.00-15.15 (EST)

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One of the most significant elections in U.S. history is soon coming to an end. Election officials are expecting a large increase of mail-in ballots and early in-person voting, as well as a big turnout on Election Day. This could mean that the process of counting ballots may take more time than in previous elections. Potential legal challenges could also delay the results of key races. But once the votes are all counted, the results will be confirmed—and the implications are vast.

Newly elected policymakers in federal and state government will be expected to immediately address several ongoing national crises, including the coronavirus pandemic, a cratering economy, climate change, and systemic racism—all while working to unite a deeply divided public. How do the election results relate to what’s happening across the country, and what can they tell us about the governing challenges that America will face over the next four years?

On November 4, the day after the election, Governance Studies at Brookings will host a webinar examining the results of the 2020 election. Panelists will review election results, the factors that produced that outcome, policy priorities for the president-elect, and the significance of it all for American democracy.

FEATURED Danish Institute for Human Rights: ‘Securing an enabling environment for human rights defenders in COVID-19 response and recovery’ - 27 October 2020, 15.00-16.30 (CEST)

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Is the COVID-19 pandemic providing states with a pretext for adopting repressive measures unrelated to the pandemic to silence critical voices?

What impacts on the enjoyment of the freedoms of association, assembly and expression have COVID-19 response measures had to date?

How can human rights standards and mechanisms and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development be used as a platform for monitoring and securing accountability and a more enabling environment for the political participation of all, including human rights defenders?

Explore these questions with us in this webinar in which we will also point to strategies, methods and possible partnerships for addressing current challenges for human rights defenders.

The Danish Institute for Human Rights is organising the webinar in collaboration with CIVICUS, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) and Indigenous Peoples’ Major Group for Sustainable Development.

Speakers:

Mary Lawlor - UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders

Joan Carling - Co-Convenor, Indigenous Peoples’ Major Group for Sustainable Development

Ombudsman Jordan Rodas - Office of the Ombudsman, Guatemala

Mandeep Tiwana - Chief Programmes Officer, Civicus

Carol Rask (Moderator) - the Danish Institute for Human Rights

RECOMMENDED IACL-AIDC Global Roundtable Webinar Series: ‘Democracy 2020: Assessing Constitutional Decay, Breakdown, and Renewal Worldwide’ - 18-26 November 2020

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Global Roundtable - Democracy 2020: On 18-26 November the International Association of Constitutional Law (IACL) Global Roundtable ‘Democracy 2020: Assessing Constitutional Decay, Breakdown, and Renewal Worldwide’ will take place as series of 9 inter-connected webinars. Featuring 50 speakers from 5 continents across 5 days, the webinars will be devoted to an array of themes including global and regional overviews, challenges from algorithmic governance to vote suppression, understudied countries, key actors like courts, parliaments and parties, and possible remedies and renewal of our democratic systems. Click the links for the website and programme. The Roundtable is co-sponsored by the Laureate Program in Comparative Constitutional Law (Melbourne Law School) and the Melbourne School of Government.

Electoral Regulation Research Network & Melbourne School of Government: ‘Remote Democracy?: A Comparative Perspective on Voting in Pandemics and Beyond’ - 29 October 2020, 20.00-21.15 (AEST)

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On the eve of the US election, this seminar will explore the impact of the pandemic on voting methods and electoral administration across a range of democracies. With a particular focus on the rise of remote voter participation, it will analyse how mechanisms such as mail-in and on-line voting are changing the electoral landscape and what legacy these may have for trust in the electoral process post-COVID-19.

Speakers:

Professor Benjamin Reilly - Professor of Political Science and International Relations, University of Western Australia

Dr Lachlan Umbers - Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Western Australia

Associate Professor Martin Drum - Director of Public Policy, Associate Professor, Political and International Relations, University of Notre Dame Australia

Chatham House: ‘2020 US Elections: What to Watch’ - 28 October 2020, 16.00-16.45 (BST)

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The 2020 US presidential election cycle comes to an end at the start of November. Concerns of voter suppression and delay tactics, and a sharp increase in the number of mail-in voters, mean that a prolonged ballot count is likely. The coronavirus pandemic has added an extra layer of concern with many states implementing last-minute legislation to accommodate social distancing measures. How is election night likely to unfold and what will be the key states and developments to watch?

This webinar will consider the voting landscape ahead of the election on 3 November 2020. What impact is the ongoing health crisis having on voters’ ability to cast their ballots? How are concerns of voter suppression being addressed? What are the key issues and concerns in voters’ minds as they prepare to cast their ballots? And how is the international community preparing for a crucial few weeks in American politics?

Australian National University College of Law: ‘The pandemic paradox in international law’ - 27 October 2020, 18.00-19.30 (AEST)

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COVID-19 has given rise to a series of challenges in international law intersecting with patriotism, borders and equality. These paradoxes have rendered the international legal order’s mechanisms for collective action powerless precisely when they are most needed to fight the pandemic. The 'patriotism paradox' is that disengagement from the international legal order weakens rather than strengthens state sovereignty. The 'border paradox' is that securing domestic populations by excluding non-citizens, in the absence of regulatory mechanisms to secure adherence to internal health measures, accelerates viral spread among citizens. The 'equality paradox' is that while pandemics pose an equal threat to all people, their impacts compound existing inequalities.

Join us as we explore these issues with Professor Hilary Charlesworth AM FAAL (University of Melbourne, ANU School of Regulation and Global Governance); Associate Professor Jeremy Farrall and Dr Imogen Saunders (ANU College of Law); and moderator Professor Anthea Roberts (ANU School of Regulation and Global Governance).

This event will examine the contours and consequences of these paradoxes and discuss how international law and legal institutions can navigate populist-driven threats. This virtual discussion draws on an upcoming article to be published in The American Journal of International Law in October 2020 co-authored by two of our panellists – Dr Imogen Saunders and Associate Professor Jeremy Farrall – as well as Professor Peter G. Danchin (University of Maryland) and Professor Shruti Rana (Indiana University Bloomington), as part of the ANU Global Research Partnerships Project ‘Navigating the Backlash against Global Law and Institutions’.

Brookings Institute: ‘Election 2020: Driving forces and possible outcomes’ - 27 October 2020, 14.00-15.30 (EDT)

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As voters begin casting their ballots in the 2020 election, many issues still have the potential to transform the political landscape and determine the outcome of the presidential election, as well as congressional, gubernatorial, and statehouse races across the country. Voters go to the polls with several serious policy issues on their mind including an economy in recession, the COVID-19 pandemic, health care, race relations, social justice, women’s rights, and the future of the judiciary. These issues raise a number of questions that will determine the outcome of the election.

During a campaign season colored by the pandemic, will congressional leadership and the White House strike a deal for another round of economic stimulus before Election Day? And how will delays in a relief package effect House members and senators in tough reelection fights?

With a Supreme Court nomination in process that has the potential to shape the country for years, will Republican voters show up at the polls on election day to reward GOP Senate candidates like Lindsay Graham, Cory Gardner, and Joni Ernst for voting to confirm Amy Coney Barrett? Will Democratic backlash hurt those senators’ chances for reelection?

Long lines, postal delays, concerns about voter intimidation and suppression, and the possibility of contested elections have raised concerns about the integrity of the U.S. elections process. How will political leaders and courts respond when the influx of mail-in ballots might extend election day to several weeks? And will efforts to disrupt voting strike a chord with voters in affecting their drive to vote and their vote choice?

On October 27, one week before election day, Governance Studies at Brookings will host a webinar to discuss the driving forces and possible outcomes of the 2020 election. Expert panelists will offer their analysis on these and other pressing issues and answer questions from viewers.

International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES): ‘2020 U.S. Election Program (USEP)’ - 27 October-4 November 2020

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As part of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems’ (IFES) ongoing commitment to adaptation, innovation and resilience in the wake of COVID-19, the 2020 U.S. Election Program (USEP) is going virtual!

While the IFES USEP traditionally gathers hundreds of elections and democracy experts from dozens of countries to witness the elections in person in the U.S., our priority is the health and well-being of everyone involved. So, this year, IFES will bring together more partners than ever before for a front-row seat to the 2020 U.S. elections – online.

IFES’ reimagined USEP will offer you and other participants from around the world a unique window into the election with engaging virtual programming to include live online events, on-demand videos and social media featuring fascinating interviews, dynamic debates, critical analysis, shared learning and networking opportunities.

Live online events will take place from October 27 to November 4 with live interpretation and closed captions in six languages: Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia, English, French, Russian and Spanish! You can participate in as many live events as you choose—or you can watch later. Recordings will be made available to registrants during the Virtual USEP.

R Street Institute: ‘Election 2020: Setting Expectations and Debunking Myths’ - 22 October 2020, 15.30 (ET)

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The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted American life in many ways and will certainly also impact the 2020 election. In fact, in order to socially distance and avoid unnecessary contact with others, record-shattering numbers of Americans may vote absentee. The specter of an election relying heavily on absentee voting has brought with it many misconceptions, myths and simple misunderstandings. People fear that absentee voting is rife with fraud, and they're concerned that we may not know who won the election on election night, week or perhaps even month.

Join R Street's Marc Hyden, James B. McClatchy Professor of Law at Stanford Law School Nate Persily, Senior Counsel for the Brennan Center's Democracy Program Liz Howard and Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman as they set some expectations and debunk myths surrounding the 2020 election cycle in our upcoming webinar.

ODIHR & International IDEA: ‘Democracy, human rights and the pandemic: impact and opportunities’ - 21 October 2020, 10.00-11.30 (CET)

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The COVID-19 pandemic is an international public health crisis that continues to challenge our democracies in ways that are unprecedented. Overall, this pandemic and the experience so far once again prove how important democratic and evidence-based law-making, due process, consensus-seeking with political opponents, credible and free flows of information, an open engagement between government and society are both in general, but also particularly in times of a global crisis. The crisis has also exposed pre-existing ills in democracies—inefficient governance, an erosion of trust in governance structures, polarization, fragility of freedoms of speech and information, and attacks on civic space.

This panel will serve to review the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on democratic institutions, and on fundamental rights and freedoms. The discussion will draw from the findings and recommendations from International IDEA’s recently launched Global Monitor of COVID-19’s Impact on Democracy and Human Rights and OSCE/ODIHR's report on OSCE Human Dimension Commitments and State Responses to the Covid-19 Pandemic. The featured speakers, Dr Kevin Casas-Zamora, Secretary-General of International IDEA and Katarzyna Gardapkhadze, First Deputy Director/Director’s Alternate OSCE/ODIHR, will identify key trends and solutions available to intergovernmental bodies to promote more effective and ultimately more democratic responses to the pandemic.