LDA 2026: Local Democracy Against Autocratization

From Monday 17 August to 19 August, the Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy (ICLD), and Uppsala University's Forum for Africa Studies co-organize the ICLD Local Democracy Academy at Campus Gotland, Visby. The theme is "Local Democracy Against Autocratization: Resistance and Preparedness". This is the fifth ICLD Local Democracy Academy (LDA). The purpose of the 2026 Local Democracy Against Autocratization is to consolidate two decades of scholarship on local democracy by critically reflecting on its development, legacy, and future directions.

In a moment marked by the rise of autocracies, democratic backsliding, the erosion of human rights, as well as ongoing wars and genocide, climate crisis, and deepening inequalities, the role of local governments becomes ever more crucial as an entry point for building and renewing democracy from below.

Some 50 local democracy researchers and practitioners will attend the 2026 Local Democracy Academy. Since 2020, Uppsala University's Forum for Africa Studies has developed strong collaboration with ICLD, and co-hosted the LDAs in December 2020, and in June 2022 respectively. Professor Sten Hagberg will participate in the open panel discussion, and also present a paper, drawing on long-term local democracy research in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Mozambique.

Access the flyer here pdf, 1 MB.
Access the open panel invitation here png, 248 kB.