The purpose of this conference is to reassess the role of national parliaments and national policy-making processes in the 1970s in light of the increasing global challenges and extraparliamentary pressure that occurred. What can be seen as decisive turning points shaping the political history of the era? Were they the same in each country, or did they differ from state to state? And in what way and to what extent were these defining moments and events related to citizen activism, national political factors and cross-border actors or influences respectively? Furthermore, what do our findings tell us about politics in the 1970s, also in relation to the ‘revolutionary’ 1960s and the ‘neoliberal’ 1980s?
In various panels, the conference will focus on challenges to parliamentary policy-making and the interplay of national politics with all kinds of international, national, or local actors and factors. One panel will assess the impact of international crises and crisis-management on domestic policy-making and parliament. Another panel will explore the interaction between parliament and the voice of the people, highlighting the interconnection between citizens, social movements, political parties, and parliament. A third panel will focus on the changing role of parliament during the 1970s in relation to transformations in society, party politics, and parliamentary culture. Sonja Levsen (University of Trier) will deliver a keynote speech. Confirmed contributors also include Giovanni Orsina (Luiss-Guido Carli University, Rome), and Duco Hellema (Utrecht University).