DEMCONEX

The DEMCONEX Jean Monnet Centre for Excellence (JMCE) builds on the previous EUROGOVERNANCE JMCE held by TCD from 2020-2024 and will act as a focal point for inter- disciplinary work on EU studies with a particular focus freedom of expression, constitutional governance, and democratic theory.

DEMCONEX will promote greater understanding of the fundamental value of freedom of expression both to individual citizens, as they seek to engage in political and democratic processes and debates, and to the resilience of the European Union’s democratic project. The JMCE will examine the role of EU law and policy in shaping robust and diverse online environments where citizens can express their views and be politically active and will analyse how state actors as well as private undertakings (including social media platforms) can disrupt the relationship between the Union and her citizens by subverting, limiting and infringing rights to freedom of expression.

The Centre’s work has three strands:

a. The development of Trinity’s course offerings in EU studies including through:

The expansion of teaching on freedom of expression and democratic theory through the development of new open modules for undergraduates as well as specialised postgraduate modules;

The integration materials on freedom of expression, constitutionalism and democratic theory into existing modules; and

The delivery of seminars to students in universities outside the EU.

b. The delivery of a diverse programme of events that unite theory and practice and engage stakeholders across the landscape of speech regulation including:

Hosting an annual Public Lecture series on topics relevant to DEMCONEX;

Hosting interdisciplinary seminar series in collaboration with TriCON and as part of the programme of the Department of Politics;

Hosting a multi-day international conference on the themes of the Centre in 2028.

c. The strengthening of Trinity’s research outputs engaging with the themes of freedom of expression, democratic theory and EU studies through the development of articles, book chapters and associated papers and larger works that examine topics such as freedom of expression and its association with political participation, participatory democracy, de-platforming, regulation of social media platforms, and EU law in national constitutional courts.