On 28 May 2026, at 3:00 PM, ProStEUVa will host the lecture “Corruption: Nemesis of Democracy” by Lars Vinther Johannsen, Aarhus University. The lecture will take place at the University of Pisa, Palazzo La Sapienza, Aula VI, and will be chaired by Professor Angioletta Sperti, University of Pisa.
Organised within the framework of the PhD programme in Theory of fundamental rights, Constitutional Justice, Comparative Law, Law and Religion, the lecture will examine corruption as a major challenge to democratic governance, institutional accountability, and public trust.
Professor Johannsen will reflect on the ways in which corruption undermines the mechanisms that make democracies responsive and resilient. The lecture will consider why corruption is so difficult to eradicate, what its main causes and consequences are, and whether it is possible to build societies marked by impartial administration, low levels of corruption, and strong trust in public institutions. Particular attention will be devoted to the distinction between understanding corruption as a principal-agent problem and as a collective-action problem, as well as to the implications of these approaches for anti-corruption reforms. The lecture will also address the role of transparency, asking under what conditions the public exposure of corruption may foster indignation and accountability, or instead lead to resignation and political disengagement.
Those interested in receiving the preparatory materials for the lecture may contact rachele.bizzari@jus.unipi.it. The event flyer is available here.
