The ideal of democracy is a subject of theoretical and political controversy. Its content, prerequisites, and practical implications will continue to concern us.

At every step, the citizen experiences the conflict between the utopia of the democratic idea and the reality of its management. The issues that have developed around this dilemma are particularly rich and encompass all social sciences. Part of these issues is published in this volume, which consists of contributions in honor of Professor Zisis Papadimitriou, a university teacher and active citizen who has struggled with the utopia and reality of democracy like few others.

Included texts:
- Instead of a preface

Part One
Democracy and Political Reality

- Ioannis Manolelakis, "A historical event and its different ideological narratives"
- Antonis Manitakis, "The concept of the multitude and the utopian perspective of global democracy (On the occasion of the 'democracy of the multitude' in Negri's work)"
- Kostas Stratilatis, "Liberal democracy as anti-utopia. Some thoughts and some interpretations on John Gray's book 'Black Mass: Apocalyptic Religion and the Death of Utopia'"
- Kostas Ch. Chrysogonos, "Kleptocracy: The problem of corruption in the Greek political system"
- Kostas Zoras, "Delegitimization and extrainstitutional influence as pathologies of the political system: The possible constitutionalization of a necessary political change"
- Michalis Spourdalakis, "On the conditions for the development of the Left in the early 21st century"
- Iphigenia Kamtsidou, "The legal-political significance of the election of the President of the Republic. The Greek example"
- Lina Papadopoulou, "Thoughts on the municipality and democracy in the European Union"
- Anastasia Deligiouri, "Deliberative and online democracy: The communicative challenges of contemporary post-democracy"
- Ozeni Athanasiadou, "Direct democratic institutions in representative democracy: Conjunction or conflict?"
- Nikos Paraskevopoulos, "'What the fox can't reach...' (The embarrassment of contemporary criticism of Athenian Democracy)"
- Nikos Garypidis, "Citizen disobedience and democratic principle: A critical approach to the contemporary liberal perception of justified non-compliance with the law"
- Georgios Anastasiadis, "Alexandros Svolos and Greek constitutional history"

Part Two
Democracy and the International Economic System

- Stergios Babanasis, "Economic systems and democracy"
- Nikos Ch. Varsakelis, "The economic policy of post-war governments: Myths and realities"
- Giorgos Dourakis, "Economic liberalism versus social Europe: The case of the Bolkestein Directive for the single market of services"
- Moisis G. Sidiropoulos, "The financial crisis and the political and social cohesion of Europe"
- Giorgos Chatzikonstantinou, "The rupture of crises"
- Kostas Chatzikonstantinou, "Prohibited attacks on the law of war"

Part Three
Democracy, Rights, and Social Reality

- Giorgos E. Skoulas, "Critical Review of Social Change: The Importance of Revolution Today"
- Maria Stratigaki, "Balanced Gender Participation in Political Decision-Making Centers"
- Maria Kaiafa-Gbandi, "Aggravated Forms of Drug Trafficking: Intensification of Criminal Repression and the Principle of Proportionality"
- Elisavet Symeonidou-Kastanidou, "The 'Violent Radicalization' Targeted by the European Union"
- Xenophon Kontiadis, "Racist Democracy: The Immigrant as a Bearer of Rights and Their Violation"
- Konstantinos Gogos, "Forty Years Later: The Problem of the Constitutionality of 'Legalizing' Unauthorized Constructions (On the Occasion of the Potential 'Legalization' of Constructions in Semi-Outdoor Spaces)"
- Panagiotis Mantzoufas, "Human Rights: From the Myth of Natural Law to the Ideology of Humanitarian Interventions"
- Christos Nikas, Dimitrios Aspasios, "Albanian Immigrants in Greece: Temporary or Permanent Issue?"

Biography
Volume Contributors