Book Discussion: Circumstantial Liberals: Ethnic Minorities, Political Competition and Democracy, by Jan Rovny

Session Submission Type: Book Discussion Roundtable

Brief Description

We propose a roundtable to discuss Jan Rovny’s new book "Circumstantial Liberals: Ethnic Minorities, Political Competition and Democracy" (OUP 2024) and the research agenda that it helps anchor on counterforces to democratic backsliding. We will debate the role of ethnic minorities in shaping political changes in Europe and beyond. In his groundbreaking book, Jan Rovny argues that permanent ethnic minorities in the search for group preservation champion rights and liberties protecting them from the tyranny of the majority. The book shows that ethnic mobilization can translate into broader ideological preferences and political behavior, inducing the formation of liberal political poles on the one hand, and illiberal opposition on the other. This dynamic is system forming, as it configures political cleavages, shapes party systems, and informs the absorption of new political issues. Ultimately, the book argues that the presence of ethnic minorities can be a force for liberal democracy. We will therefore discuss the context and generalizability of these findings.

Sub Unit

• Politics/Law

Chair

• Jeffrey Kopstein, UC Irvine

Roundtable Speakers

• Michael H. Bernhard, U of Florida

• Juliet Johnson, McGill U (Canada)

• Maria Popova, McGill U (Canada)

• Jan Rovny, Sciences Po (France)