After panel discussions, lectures by young scientists and numerous meetings of the reading group, as part of the Opatija Coffeehouse Debates project, the first lecture of this year's world-renowned scientists and experts was held at KTC Gervais on Monday, June 25th. After Alan Thomas (Tilburg University), Fabienne Peter (Warwick University) and Leif Wenar (King’s College London) who visited Opatija in the past three years, this year they contributed to the project Lea Ypi and Jonathan White, professors from prestigious English university London School of Economics.

The topic that the guest speakers presented to interested listeners is extremely interesting and current if we take into account the events in the socio-political sphere in the last ten years. Faced with the rapid decline of political parties, both in the number of members and in support among citizens and opportunities for the group mobilization of the masses, and the strengthening of social and civic movements and initiatives, White and Ypi seek to provide a normative representation of political parties, i.e. show what political parties should look like if they want to fulfil their public and political role in a liberal and democratic society. They are in their presentation, as well as in a recently published book The Meaning of Partisanship (printed by the prestigious Oxford University Press) political parties have certain advantages over other forms of civic and political organisation;: have traditions and exist over long periods of time, facilitate interaction between citizens and experts (within their membership and sympathizers), enable systematic resolution of public issues and ensure discipline and hierarchical decision-making in conditions in which it is necessary to make a quick and binding decision.

Particularly noteworthy are the conditions that Ypi and White set for an organization to be called a party, rather than a fact. Namely, according to lecturers, facilitators are political associations created with the aim of promoting the interests of individuals involved in them, or the interests of a particular social group (e.g. pensioners, employers, members of an ethnic group or residents of a geographical region). On the other hand, political parties are (i.e. should be) in favour of the general or public interest;, taking into account all social groups. Another important difference is the need for public justification of the laws and policies proposed in the political sphere: political parties have a duty to justify their proposals with arguments that will be understandable to all citizens, and they must not invoke mere over-ruling and the fact that they have enough hands in parliament to pass a law.

Lea Ypi and Jonathan White are professors at the London School of Economics and guests at the summer school. “Equality and Citizenship” which took place this week at the University of Rijeka. White During his career, he has taught at numerous top universities (Harvard, Stanford, Humboldt, Sciences Po Paris and University College London), the prestigious Brian Barry Prize for excellence in scientific research in 2017, and is the author of an influential book Political Allegiance after European Integration, as well as a number of articles and other publications. Lea Ypi She has conducted her research at numerous universities around the world (Oxford, Sciences Po Paris, Australian National University), and she studies theories of democracy, issues of migration and territorial rights, and enlightenment and Marxist political thought. She is the author of numerous scientific publications, among which the book stands out Global Justice and Avant-Garde Political Agency. Two years ago, they published an influential book together. The Meaning of Partisanship to which two days were dedicated as part of the Rijeka Summer School, as well as a lecture they held in Opatija.

Organizers from the Association “Cultural Front”, Amadria Park Hotel i the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Rijeka announced holding new panel discussions in autumn, when we are awaiting discussions about the role and function of trade unions; and o justification of the use of antibiotics, as well as new lectures by young researchers from Opatija and its surroundings, among which a lecture is expected on the philosophy of mountaineering, as well as on the cultural and tourist potential of non-governmental organizations.