On August 14-15, 2025, the Institute for the Study of Modern Authoritarianism (ISMA) hosted its second annual Liberalism for the 21st Century convening at the historic Watergate Hotel. Over 325 scholars, journalists, policymakers, activists, and students from around the world gathered for two packed days of conversation, debate, and strategy.
The mood was serious—set against unsettling headlines about democratic backsliding in the U.S. and abroad—but the atmosphere in the rooms was charged with determination. Attendees left reenergized, connected to new allies, and committed to building a broad, forward-looking liberal coalition for the challenges ahead.
Opening Address: A Call for Moral Clarity
ISMA President Shikha Dalmia launched the conference with a rousing call for liberals to choose moral clarity, not moral purity. Quoting Frederick Douglass, she urged participants to look beyond divisions and form coalitions capable of defeating authoritarianism:
“America’s genius is not that it draws the best people but that it draws the best out of people… We must replace the old right/left divide with a new liberal/illiberal one.”
Conference Highlights – Friday
Boiling the Frog: What Does the Transition from Liberalism to Illiberalism Feel Like?
Keynote by Suketu Mehta, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of Maximum City, describing how everyday life shifts as freedoms erode.Liberalism at a Time of Constitutional Crisis
Panel featuring Francis Fukuyama, Ruth Marcus, Jack Goldsmith, moderated by Benjamin Wittes, unpacking the speed and scale of U.S. democratic decline.- A Personal Encounter with Tyranny
Dinner Keynote by Vladimir Kara-Murza, the Russian opposition leader, twice poisoned and recently freed from prison. He delivered an unforgettable warning: appeasing autocrats will never lead to peace.
Conference Highlights – Saturday
Perils of a World of “Sovereignist” Nation States
Panel featuring Jennifer Mittelstadt, Dan Drezner, Francis Fukuyama, moderated by Nayyera Haq, on rising nationalism and its implications for global order.Immigration Debate: Is Restricting Cross-Border Human Movement Compatible with Liberalism?
A spirited exchange between Chandran Kukathas and David Goodhart, moderated by Bill Kristol.Practical Strategies for Resisting Authoritarianism
Featuring leaders who’ve faced down strongmen—including León Krauze, Sabina Ćudić, and Alexander Sikorski, moderated by Yascha Mounk.Breakout Sessions
– Subcultures of the Neo-Right
– AI and Liberal Democracy
– Liberalism Beyond Elites
– Restoring the Religion–Liberalism Partnership- Closing Fireside Chat
Steven Pinker and Derek Thompson explored how liberalism can renew itself for the 21st century.
What Attendees Said
The praise was widespread, from first-time participants to returning veterans:
“A spectacular and inspiring event. I’m already looking forward to next year.” — Gabriel Schoenfeld, Niskanen Center
“One of the most rewarding intellectual experiences of my adult life.” — Thomas Mortimer, Hertog Foundation
“Sobering and energizing, confirming and challenging, deep and expansive.” — Anne Lutz Fernandez, Nobody Wants This newsletter
“A splendid and important conference. I learned a lot, and met a lot of interesting people.” — Steven Pinker
The Importance of LibCon
After decades of assuming liberal democracy was secure, authoritarian challenges have mounted. LibCon2025 reaffirmed that defending liberal values requires both intellectual rigor and practical organizing. The conversations spanned theory and strategy—from the roots of illiberal movements to the nuts and bolts of election defense, coalition-building, and international solidarity.
As Vladimir Kara-Murza told the audience:
“The autocrats cooperate across borders. Why don’t we do the same? Why don’t we, who believe in democracy and political freedom, join forces to make sure we defeat them?”
