Grenoble Exceptius Conference: Politics and covid in a comparative perspective

The Exceptius project has been initiated jointly by the Université Grenoble Alpes / Sciences Po Grenoble and the university of Groningen in 2020 with a view to develop a comparative approach of the political consequences of covid throughout the EU. The project has benefited from the funds of Sciences Po-UGA / MSH-Alpes / CNRS co-PI Raul Magni-Berton and Sebastian Roché and of the Dutch Agency for Health Research and Development (lead Clara Egger/ Kees Aarts, grant number 10430 03201 0026).
Its original objective was geared at defining exceptionalism in time of an external shock (health crisis), and measure its dimensions in European countries. The consortium formed at that time aimed at documenting disruption in the governance of the rule of law, daily liberties, and health decisions imposed on the people such as wearing face masks.

The results presented at this conference show how, when facing an external shock, government (a) decide a state of exception, (b) imposed it on a population and/or on minorities groups often subject to discrimination, and (c) decide to exit and normalize exceptionalism (or not).
A pandemic is a major shock during which government will both protects / constraints their citizens, and maintains or escapes “checks and balances”. Government decide on an equilibrium based on a complex set of factors, in which a democratic political culture seems to be critical. 

Conference coordinators

DR. Sébastian Roché (CNRS, Sciences Po Grenoble / Université Grenoble Alpes, PACTE).
Prof. Raul Magni-Berton (Sciences Po Grenoble / Université Grenoble Alpes, PACTE & ESPOL, Université Catholique de Lille).

Program

Morning session

09:00-09:10 | Welcome words: Laurent Bègue-Shankland, MSH-Alpes director

09:10-09:30 | Raul Magni-Berton & Sebastian Roché: Introduction

09:30-10:30 | Workshop #1: Public spaces under the pandemic. Chair: C. Egger

• Piret Ehin & Liisa Talving (University of Tartu), Elections and special voting arrangements,
• Daniel Kuebler (University of Zürich), Citizens’ participation and direct democracy mechanisms.

10:30-11:00 | Discussion

11:00-12:00 | Workshop #2: Privacy and freedom of conscience under the pandemic. Chair: R. Magni-Berton

• Wojciech Brzozowski, Maksymilian Hau & Oliwia Rybczyńska (University of Warsaw), Was the cure worse than the disease? Freedom of religion or belief and the legal response to COVID-19 in Europe,
• Valeria Verdolini (University of Milano Bicocca), Metamorphosis, emergency or exception? Exceptional times and exceptional powers: coercive effects in population under custody.

12:00-12:30 | Discussion

End of morning session & Lunch (buffet at the MSH-alpes)

Afternoon session

14:00-15:00 | Workshop #3: Freedom of movement: what necessary limitations? Chair: D. Kuebler

• Laura Chazel (University of Grenoble Alpes), Stay at home!” A comparative analysis of the implementation of lockdowns as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic,
• Anca Cretu, Cristina Churruca Muguruza & Gorka Urrutia Asua (University of Deusto), Asylum seeking procedures / migrant protection in times of Covid-19.

15:00-15:30 | Discussion

Coffee break 15:30-16:00

16:00-17:00 | Workshop #4: When institutions are impacted by Covid. Chair: S. Roché

• Clara Egger (University of Rotterdam), States of emergency,
• Raul Magni-Berton (Catholic University of Lille), Centralization of power.

17:00-17:30 | Discussion

17:30-17:45 | Closure and the way forward: Clara Egger (Exceptius Lead).