Democratic Discourse in the Time of Pandemic: The DDS 2nd Public Forum

The Democracy Discourse Series (DDS) project held its second public forum as an online webinar entitled “Democratic Discourse in the Time of the Pandemic” last February 26, 2021. The forum showcased the projects undertaken by DDS’ Public Intellectuals from the Philippines and Malaysia. The eminent Malaysian economist and democracy advocate, Jomo Kwame Sundaram delivered the keynote address on the challenges confronting regional polities. The DDS Public Intellectuals communicated narratives and critical counter-storytelling that challenge the power and content of populism through relatable and understandable means such as the arts, popular culture, theater, and everyday life practices. Through their respective projects, they are able to not just speak publicly on critical issues and debates on democratic discourse in Southeast Asia but they have also reached out to a wider audience who can be mobilized to facilitate further democratization or deter the slide towards autocracy.