Constitutional democracies used to be seen as such a stable and legitimate form of government that the spread of democracies globally was thought to herald the “end of history.” But now—under pressure from war, economic instability, climate change, demographic shifts, and rival political movements—it is unclear whether constitutional democracy will survive as a workable form of government.
Constitutional democracies are under pressure from all sides. Progressive have grown impatient with a political system that has been too slow to deliver on the promise of freedom and equality for its marginalized members. Conservatives fear the speed with which societies seems to be abandoning their traditional values. And as an added challenge, we continue to see the spread of authoritarianism regimes.
And yet, despite their flaws, constitutional democracies may still hold the promise of stability, freedom, equality, and even progress—some glimmer of hope for the future. The purpose of this conference is to bring together legal scholars, philosophers, and other experts from both sides of the Atlantic to discuss the past, present, and future of constitutional democracy.
This conference will take place on March 28-30, 2025, at Temple University in Philadelphia. It is a collaboration between Temple’s Philosophy Department and the University of Glasgow School of Law, and is hosted by the Temple University Libraries and the Public Policy Law.
