Politics across the world is in tumult. A new populism has emerged from both left and right. Globalisation is under attack. Across every continent, electorates have lost patience with the establishment elites who have traditionally run countries and international institutions. The ‘left behind’ are stepping forward. This year, the Blavatnik School of Government’s annual Challenges of Government Conference focuses on this revolution: the breakdown in trust, the reasons behind it, and what an effective response might look like. Those taking part include global leaders and practitioners who are striving daily to address the crisis, as well as leading academics who will set out their latest cutting-edge ideas.

Join us for ‘Bridging the Gap – how to renovate politics, public service, economies, and bolster international cooperation to build more cohesive and trusting societies.’

Key thematic issues addressed at CoGC 2017 will include:

Economy
¬ Bridging the economic gap – how can we fix capitalism? – do we need to rethink the current rules of the game, including on regulation, theory of the firm and the model of stakeholder value?
¬ The future of work and income – how do we resolve growing unemployment and inequality in the context of technological progress and the acceleration of robotics?
¬ A societal role for Corporates – what can society fairly expect of multinational corporations in a world that they increasingly dominate?
Politics
¬ Bridging the political gap – renovating politics – is rising populism a harbinger of democratic decay or an opportunity for developing a more responsive politics?
¬ Inclusive nationalism and narratives of citizenship – how do we balance the rights of citizenship and recognise national ‘belonging’ and ensure societal cohesiveness?
¬ Engaging citizens through political communication – What role can and should political communication play in bridging the gap between citizens and elites?

Public Service
¬ Bridging the delivery gap – meeting citizens’ expectations – how do we reconnect with citizens who are increasingly fed up with unresponsive public services?
¬ A new set of public service values – how do we retain the best and brightest in the public sector and what should our public-sector values be?
¬ Quick on the draw – innovative public management – how do we get governments institutions to become more agile and effective?