THIS IS NOT A READING SERIES

Time to get imaginative about Democracy?

“Ultimately you need to decide and take action” to join TINARS and UTP Press in celebrating the launch of The Democratic Imagination. Envisioning Popular Power in the 21st Century, “or someone else will do it in your name.”

The platform opens:
Wednesday, October 17th, 2012 – 7:00pm
The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St West
Admission: $5 or FREE with book purchase

From Ancient Greece to the French Revolution to contemporary Egypt – the concept of popular power has a long and colourful history. But does it have a promising future in the twenty-first century?

Find out Wednesday Oct 17th, when celebrated authors James Cairns and Alan Sears, joined by political advisor and media personality Ralph Benmurgui discuss the effects of declining voter participation in traditional democracies, new movements for popular power sprouting up across the world and tensions that emerged in key moments and debates in the history of democracy.

In an engaging and personal style, like their book, Sears and Cairns hope to expand and challenge your democratic imagination.

The evening will embrace the voice of the people. Via video presentation others respond to the condition of democracy in Canada, there will be music by DJ Peter Mitton and guest speakers John Grayson, Mary-Jo Nadeau and Sedef Arat-Koc convey their conception of the subject with an added twist – an object representing their democratic view.

Never imagined the imagination plays a key role in how we define democracy?

This is your opportunity to find out.

About the Authors
James Cairns is an assistant professor in the Department of Contemporary Studies at Wilfred Laurier University and a member of the Toronto New Socialists.

Alan Sears is a writer and activist and a professor in the Department of Sociology at Ryerson University. He is an editorial associate of New Socialist webzine.

For information please contact:
Publisher Contact: Kathryn Rennie - krennie@utpress.utoronto.ca - 647 377 4618
Event Contact: Alexandra Leggat – alexandraleggat@sympatico.ca

This Is Not A Reading Series (TINARS) offers a ground-breaking theatrical dimension to the appreciation of fine writing. Employing music, comedy, psychodrama, dance, multimedia performance, lectures, dialogue—everything but reading—TINARS investigates the creative process behind literary works. For more information visit www.tinars.ca