Prof. Budsaba Kanoksilapatham

Faculty of Management Science, Silpakorn University, Thailand

Brief: Budsaba Kanoksilapatham, an eminent luminary, attained her Ph.D. in Linguistics (concentration: Applied Linguistics) from Georgetown University in the United States. Currently, as an erudite full-time professor of English at the Faculty of Management Science at Silpakorn University, she embodies a consummate dedication to her vocation.Furthermore, Dr. Kanoksilapatham adorns the distinguished post of associate fellow at the prestigious Academy of Arts, the Royal Society of Thailand. Her outstanding accomplishments have garnered her an array of coveted accolades, among others, notably including the illustrious titles of "Distinguished Researcher of Silpakorn University" and "TRF Senior Research Scholar in English." Both accolades were graciously bestowed upon her by the esteemed patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chaksri Sirindhorn on two distinct occasions. Dr. Kanoksilapatham's awe-inspiring achievements, coupled with her profound dedication to scholarly pursuits, serve as a resplendent and indelible tribute to her unwavering quest for, and commitment to, academic excellence.

Brief: Professor Dr Holger BRIEL is Professor in Media and Communication Studies Programme. He holds a Ph.D. in Cultural Theory from the University of Massachusetts, 

Amherst, an M.A. in Comparative Literature from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and a B.A. in English and German from Eberhardt-Karls Universität Tübingen, Germany. A portion of his graduate studies was also undertaken at the Université de Paris, Sorbonne. Previously, Dr Briel has taught at New York University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Aristotle University Thessaloniki, the University of Innsbruck, the University of Surrey, Indiana State University and Xi'an Jiaotong Liverpool University. He has held numerous Visiting Professorships and lectured at Oxford University, UC Berkeley, CUNY, Ateneo de Manila, the National University of Malaysia, the National University of Singapore, Universität Rostock and many others. Besides many other engagements, he continues to supervise Ph.D. and Master students in countries around the globe. He has published copiously in media and cultural studies, philosophy, the social sciences, and international management studies and remains active a as journalist for several international newspapers. For many years, he has been the Editor-in-Chief of the influential IAFOR Journal of Cultural Studies and sits as an Editor and Joint Editor on many journal boards. Furthermore, he is the recipient of numerous prestigious research grants and fellowships, most recently the endowed National South Korean Senior Fellowship in Cultural Studies. In recognition of his expertise in global education, he has been elected to several national education supervisory bodies, including those of Greece, Hungary and Spain and membership in the EU Council for Higher Education.

Speech Title: Recent Sinicisations of Science Fiction

Abstract: Abstract Science Fiction has often been thought of as a Western genre, and in many ways that is (still) the case. This article suggests though that with new movements such as Asian Futurism, Sinofuturism, Afrofuturism or Gulf Futurism, one can observe a new multilateralism in the description of the future. Especially with Sinofuturism, things become more complex. One of its forerunners, Cyberpunk, in the 1980s introduced a changing power differential between the East (Japan at the time) and the West, retiring older orientalist colonial dreams of dominating Asia. This was especially evident in William Gibson’s Neuromancer (1984) or Alexander Besher’s Virtual Reality Trilogy (Rim (1994), Mir (1998), Chi (1999), demonstrating the superiority of Japanese design and, implicitly, its society. By the 2010s, Japanese leadership in technology had been replaced by China with its world leadership in day-to-day digital technologies. This article suggests that this changing power differential can be read via the rise of Sinofuturism and that it is an important socio-political phenomenon to study Asian-western interactions for times to come.

Adam Mickiewicz University, Poland

Brief: Joanna Rak is an associate professor at the Faculty of Political Science and Journalism of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. From 2016 to 2024, she was a visiting researcher at CEU San Pablo University in Madrid, the University of Navarra, Charles III University of Madrid, and Valladolid University. She is the principal investigator of the research project “Civil Disorder in Pandemic-ridden European Union,” financed by the National Science Centre, Poland. The laureate of the Barbara Skarga Scholarship, the START Scholarship by the Foundation for Polish Science, and the POLITYKA Scientific Awards. The author of the books Pandemic-Era Civil Disorder in Post-Communist EU Member States (Routledge 2024), Theorising Cultures of Political Violence in Times of Austerity: Studying Social Movements in Comparative Perspective (Routledge 2018), editor of Why Neo-Militant Democracies Endure: The Inner Six in Comparative Perspective (Routledge 2024), and co-editor of Democracy and Its Enemies in Europe Successes and Failures in Combating Autocratic Threats (Routledge 2025) and Neo-Militant Democracies in Post-Communist Member States of the European Union (Routledge 2022). Research interests: political violence, militant democracy, democratic and nondemocratic regimes, contentious politics, and protest movements.

SpeechTitle: Erosion of Democratic Resilience in Europe: Populism and Civil Unrest

Abstract: This study examines the factors undermining European democracies in the face of populist challenges and the failure of democratic safeguards during civil unrest. Through qualitative analysis, two contrasting explanations emerge. The first argues that democratic institutions are ill-equipped due to outdated militant democracy mechanisms, while the second attributes the crisis to the misuse or neglect of these tools, often with public approval. The study evaluates legal restrictions on democratic freedoms, assessments from the Venice Commission and Freedom House, and their relevance to contemporary threats. The findings emphasize the role of socioeconomic inequalities and political uncertainty in fostering public support for populist movements, which leveraged anti-democratic measures to consolidate power and limit electoral competition. Simultaneously, civil society’s diminished capacity for political organization facilitated the emergence of hybrid regimes. These regimes became increasingly fragile as neo-militant democracy measures were weaponized or disregarded, with civil society surrendering its political influence to populist actors. Moreover, the study highlights how digital misinformation and strategic narratives accelerated this process, shaping public perception and justifying authoritarian shifts under the guise of restoring order. The erosion of institutional checks and balances contributed to democratic backsliding. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for rethinking safeguards against hybrid regimes in Europe.