Where is the Congress on Freedom Studies 2026 being held?

The congress is scheduled to take place in Ankara, TUR.

What is the primary focus of the Congress on Freedom Studies 2026?

The congress gathers scholars to discuss freedom in economy and politics.

What is the format of the Congress on Freedom Studies 2026?

The event is structured as a congress, indicating a formal gathering for academic and professional discourse.

Congress on Freedom Studies 2026

Name: Congress on Freedom Studies 2026
Start: 2026-09-12T00:00:00Z
End: 2026-09-12T00:00:00Z
Location: Ankara

Sep 12–12, 2026Ankara, TurkeyIn-person

Registration open

The Congress on Freedom Studies 2026, hosted in Ankara, TUR, serves as a critical forum for examining the multifaceted dimensions of freedom in contemporary society. This event brings together scholars and practitioners to discuss freedom within economic and political contexts, fostering a deeper understanding of its implications across various sectors. Participants will engage in robust discussions, present research, and collaborate on initiatives aimed at advancing the principles of freedom globally.

Committees & topics

Topics
Freedom in 21st-Century Economics and Politics · Communication, Media Freedom and the Public Sphere · Developments in Theories of Freedom: Negative/Positive Liberty, Non-Domination, Autonomy, and Legitimate Limitation · Ideologies and Freedom: Transformations of Classical Traditions and New Articulations · Political Economy and Freedom: Property, Competition, Labor and Social Policy · Institutions and Political Freedoms: Rights, Checks and Balances, Judicial Independence · Digitalization, Artificial Intelligence and Freedom: Surveillance, Accountability and Algorithmic Governance · Freedom in Education: Mother-Tongue Instruction, Religious Practice and Pluralism

Why it matters

This congress is particularly significant given the evolving global landscape where the definitions and applications of freedom are constantly being re-evaluated. In an era marked by rapid technological advancements, shifting geopolitical alliances, and diverse societal challenges, understanding the nuances of freedom in economic and political spheres is paramount. The discussions at this event will contribute to a more informed discourse on how to safeguard and promote fundamental liberties.

The insights generated from this congress can inform policy-making, academic research, and public debate, especially concerning the balance between individual freedoms and collective responsibilities. By convening experts from various fields, the congress aims to bridge theoretical concepts with practical applications, providing actionable frameworks for addressing contemporary issues related to freedom. This collaborative environment is crucial for developing comprehensive strategies that resonate across different cultural and political systems.

Furthermore, the congress offers a unique opportunity for networking and collaboration among participants. Such interactions are vital for building a global community dedicated to the study and advancement of freedom. The exchange of ideas and perspectives at this event can inspire new research directions and foster interdisciplinary approaches to complex problems, ultimately strengthening the collective effort to uphold and expand freedoms worldwide.

How to prepare

To maximize engagement and contribution at the Congress on Freedom Studies, participants should undertake thorough preparation. This includes a deep dive into the specific themes related to freedom in economy and politics, considering the diverse perspectives that will be present. Reviewing existing literature and preparing concise, impactful presentations or discussion points will be beneficial.

For those looking to influence policy or contribute to broader societal discussions, it is crucial to understand the various stakeholders involved in freedom studies. Lessons like "what-is-stakeholder-mapping" and "stakeholder-workshop" can provide valuable frameworks for identifying key actors and their interests. This preparation will enable participants to engage more effectively in debates and collaborative sessions.

Considering the international nature of the congress, understanding different national contexts is also important. While the event is in Ankara, TUR, perspectives from various countries will be represented. Familiarity with the political and economic landscapes of key regions, such as those discussed in "dynamic-analysis," can enrich discussions and foster more inclusive dialogue. This broad understanding will help participants navigate complex topics and contribute meaningfully to the congress's objectives.

Country perspectives

Where the most-relevant 5 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.

Türkiye

As the host nation, Turkey provides a unique regional context for discussions on freedom, particularly concerning the interplay between democratic institutions, economic development, and civil liberties.

Role in topic

Turkey's strategic location and evolving political landscape make it a significant case study for examining the challenges and opportunities in promoting freedom. The congress in Ankara offers a platform to explore these dynamics within a specific national and regional context.

United States

The United States often champions freedom as a core tenet of its foreign policy, advocating for democratic values and free markets globally, though its own practices are subject to ongoing debate.

Role in topic

The US perspective is crucial for understanding the historical and contemporary discourse on freedom, particularly concerning its role in international relations and the promotion of human rights and economic liberalism.

China

China presents a contrasting model, prioritizing collective stability and economic growth within a state-controlled framework, often leading to different interpretations of individual freedoms.

Role in topic

Examining China's approach provides a critical counterpoint to Western-centric views of freedom, highlighting alternative models of governance and economic organization that impact individual liberties.

Germany

Germany, with its strong commitment to democratic principles and social market economy, offers a perspective on balancing individual freedoms with social welfare and collective responsibility.

Role in topic

Germany's experience in rebuilding democratic institutions and fostering a robust civil society makes its insights valuable for discussions on the practical implementation of freedom in a modern European context.

Russia

Russia's approach to freedom is often characterized by a strong emphasis on state sovereignty and national interests, which can lead to restrictions on civil liberties and political dissent.

Role in topic

Understanding Russia's perspective is essential for comprehending geopolitical tensions and the challenges to promoting universal notions of freedom in a world with diverse political systems.

Topics & background

The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it.

Freedom in 21st-Century Economics and Politics

The end of the Cold War initially appeared to consolidate a liberal consensus pairing market economies with representative democracy, a settlement sometimes labeled the 'end of history.' Yet the 2008 global financial crisis, rising inequality documented by economists such as Thomas Piketty, and the subsequent erosion of middle-class wage growth in advanced economies destabilized that consensus. Populist movements on both right and left challenged the legitimacy of technocratic governance, while state-capitalist models — most prominently China's — offered an alternative pairing of market dynamism with political centralization. In the 2010s and 2020s, freedom became contested terrain across multiple axes simultaneously: economic freedom indices produced by Freedom House and the Fraser Institute registered global declines, while democratic backsliding was tracked by V-Dem in countries ranging from Hungary to India. The COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine accelerated debates over emergency powers, supply-chain sovereignty, and the trade-off between security and liberty. Today the central question is whether 21st-century freedom can be sustained when economic concentration, geopolitical fragmentation, and digital governance simultaneously reshape the conditions under which citizens act.

Key players

Communication, Media Freedom and the Public Sphere

Modern conceptions of communicative freedom trace to Enlightenment defenses of press liberty and to the post-WWII codification of expression rights in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 19 of the ICCPR. Throughout the 20th century, the contest over communication centered on state censorship, propaganda, and the structure of public broadcasting, with UNESCO's 1980 MacBride Report highlighting global imbalances in media flows. The rise of the internet and social platforms in the 2000s transformed the terrain: gatekeeping shifted from states and editors to private platforms operating at planetary scale, while disinformation, coordinated inauthentic behavior, and platform-driven polarization emerged as systemic concerns. Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists document a sustained global decline in press freedom, with journalist killings and arrests rising in conflict zones and authoritarian contexts. Recent regulatory responses — the EU's Digital Services Act, India's IT Rules, Turkey's disinformation law — illustrate the tension between protecting public discourse and creating new vectors for state control over speech.

Key players

Developments in Theories of Freedom: Negative/Positive Liberty, Non-Domination, Autonomy, and Legitimate Limitation

The modern philosophical landscape of freedom was structured by Isaiah Berlin's 1958 lecture 'Two Concepts of Liberty,' which distinguished negative liberty (absence of interference) from positive liberty (self-mastery and collective self-rule). This framework dominated late 20th-century liberal theory, with Rawls's 'A Theory of Justice' (1971) integrating liberty with distributive justice, while libertarians such as Nozick prioritized property-based negative freedom. From the 1990s onward, Philip Pettit and Quentin Skinner revived the republican tradition, arguing that freedom is best understood as non-domination — the absence of arbitrary power — rather than mere non-interference. Parallel developments in feminist theory (Nussbaum, Anderson), the capabilities approach (Sen), and theories of relational autonomy expanded the conversation beyond the lone rights-bearing individual. Contemporary debates now address how freedom relates to equality and recognition, how legitimate limitations can be justified (notably under proportionality doctrines used by constitutional courts), and how concepts like epistemic freedom and digital autonomy fit traditional categories. The discussion has become particularly urgent as illiberal regimes claim 'positive' or 'communitarian' freedom against liberal-individualist critiques.

Key players

Ideologies and Freedom: Transformations of Classical Traditions and New Articulations

Classical 19th- and 20th-century ideologies — liberalism, conservatism, socialism, nationalism — each articulated distinct conceptions of freedom, ranging from individual rights and property to national self-determination and emancipation from class domination. The Cold War organized these into a binary contest, while the 1990s saw a 'third way' convergence among center-left and center-right parties around market liberalism and human rights. Since the 2010s, that convergence has fractured. National-populist movements (Trumpism in the USA, Fidesz in Hungary, Lega in Italy, AKP in Turkey) have fused nationalism with cultural traditionalism while selectively embracing or rejecting market liberalism. On the left, democratic-socialist revivals and post-growth ecological politics have rearticulated freedom around social provision and planetary boundaries. Newer hybrids — national conservatism, post-liberalism, techno-libertarianism, and 'common-good constitutionalism' — explicitly contest the liberal frame, while authoritarian regimes export ideological alternatives. The committee will examine how 'freedom' is now claimed and contested across this fragmented ideological field.

Key players

Institutions and Political Freedoms: Rights, Checks and Balances, Judicial Independence

Constitutional liberalism rests on institutional architectures — separation of powers, judicial review, independent agencies, and entrenched fundamental rights — designed to prevent the concentration of arbitrary power. These designs were globalized through post-WWII constitutionalism, post-1989 democratic transitions, and the work of bodies such as the Venice Commission. Independent central banks, competition authorities, and constitutional courts became hallmarks of the late 20th-century institutional model. Since the 2010s, V-Dem, Freedom House, and the World Justice Project have documented a sustained pattern of democratic backsliding centered precisely on these institutions. Court-packing and judicial capture in Poland (2015–2023) and Hungary, erosion of checks in Turkey after 2016, the 2023 judicial reform crisis in Israel, and politicization of independent agencies in multiple democracies have made institutional resilience the central question. Simultaneously, the post-2008 and post-COVID expansion of emergency and security powers, and growing reliance on technocratic bodies for climate, monetary, and AI governance, have intensified debates over democratic legitimacy and accountability of unelected expertise.

Key players

Digitalization, Artificial Intelligence and Freedom: Surveillance, Accountability and Algorithmic Governance

The diffusion of the internet, smartphones, and platform services has reorganized social and political life around digital infrastructures owned and operated largely by private firms and, in some jurisdictions, by the state. Edward Snowden's 2013 disclosures revealed the scale of mass surveillance by signals-intelligence agencies; the Cambridge Analytica revelations and subsequent inquiries documented how behavioral data flows shape political choice. Shoshana Zuboff's analysis of 'surveillance capitalism' and Frank Pasquale's work on the 'black box society' frame contemporary critiques. The rapid deployment of generative AI since 2022 has intensified concerns over automated decision-making in credit, hiring, policing, and welfare, as well as over deepfakes, content moderation, and labor displacement. Regulatory responses diverge: the EU AI Act (entered into force 2024) adopts risk-based rules and bans certain practices; China combines aggressive AI development with strict content controls and a developing social credit infrastructure; the U.S. relies on sectoral regulation and executive orders. The UN's 2024 Global Digital Compact and the work of the UN AI Advisory Body signal emerging multilateral attention. The committee will weigh how to preserve individual autonomy, accountability, transparency, and privacy under algorithmic governance.

Key players

Freedom in Education: Mother-Tongue Instruction, Religious Practice and Pluralism

Education sits at the intersection of individual rights, family autonomy, minority recognition, and state-building. Mother-tongue instruction is recognized in instruments including the ICCPR (Art. 27), the UN Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National, Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities (1992), and UNESCO's longstanding advocacy of multilingual education, yet implementation varies sharply. Disputes over Kurdish-language education in Turkey, Russian-language schooling in the Baltic states and Ukraine, Tibetan and Uyghur instruction in China, and Catalan in Spain illustrate the political stakes. Religious freedom in education is similarly contested. The ECtHR has issued landmark rulings on religious symbols (Lautsi v. Italy, 2011) and conscientious objection in curricula, while French laïcité — most recently in the 2023 ban on the abaya in schools — and the Indian hijab disputes show that liberal democracies disagree fundamentally on accommodation. Curriculum wars over history, gender, and sexuality have intensified in the United States, Hungary, and elsewhere, raising the question of whether educational freedom belongs primarily to the child, the parent, the religious or linguistic community, or the state. The committee will assess how to balance pluralism, minority rights, and the formation of democratic citizens.

Key players

Resources

News, lessons, and country profiles to prep for Congress on Freedom Studies 2026.

Recent reporting to ground your prep

West Bengal Voter Deletion Crisis 2026

West Bengal Voter Deletion Crisis

North Korea's Nuclear Navy Developments

India Naval Edge: Three Ships Commissioned

Lessons

Bite-sized lessons to build the basics

Hidden Stakeholders

Engagement Strategies

Dynamic Analysis

Stakeholder Mapping Workshop

Courses

Guided courses that go deeper on the topic

Advanced Negotiation

Multilateral Negotiation

Policy Brief Writing

Conflict Resolution

The states in play, with the data that shapes their stance

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Turkey September 2026

By committee

Frequently asked questions

Congress on Freedom Studies 2026

Sep 12–12, 2026Ankara, TurkeyIn-person

Registration open

Committees & topics

Topics
Freedom in 21st-Century Economics and Politics · Communication, Media Freedom and the Public Sphere · Developments in Theories of Freedom: Negative/Positive Liberty, Non-Domination, Autonomy, and Legitimate Limitation · Ideologies and Freedom: Transformations of Classical Traditions and New Articulations · Political Economy and Freedom: Property, Competition, Labor and Social Policy · Institutions and Political Freedoms: Rights, Checks and Balances, Judicial Independence · Digitalization, Artificial Intelligence and Freedom: Surveillance, Accountability and Algorithmic Governance · Freedom in Education: Mother-Tongue Instruction, Religious Practice and Pluralism

Why it matters

How to prepare

Country perspectives

Where the most-relevant 5 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.

Türkiye

Role in topic

United States

The United States often champions freedom as a core tenet of its foreign policy, advocating for democratic values and free markets globally, though its own practices are subject to ongoing debate.

Role in topic

China

China presents a contrasting model, prioritizing collective stability and economic growth within a state-controlled framework, often leading to different interpretations of individual freedoms.

Role in topic

Germany

Germany, with its strong commitment to democratic principles and social market economy, offers a perspective on balancing individual freedoms with social welfare and collective responsibility.

Role in topic

Russia

Russia's approach to freedom is often characterized by a strong emphasis on state sovereignty and national interests, which can lead to restrictions on civil liberties and political dissent.

Role in topic

Understanding Russia's perspective is essential for comprehending geopolitical tensions and the challenges to promoting universal notions of freedom in a world with diverse political systems.

Topics & background

The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it.

Freedom in 21st-Century Economics and Politics

Key players

Communication, Media Freedom and the Public Sphere

Key players

Developments in Theories of Freedom: Negative/Positive Liberty, Non-Domination, Autonomy, and Legitimate Limitation

Key players

Ideologies and Freedom: Transformations of Classical Traditions and New Articulations

Key players

Institutions and Political Freedoms: Rights, Checks and Balances, Judicial Independence

Key players

Digitalization, Artificial Intelligence and Freedom: Surveillance, Accountability and Algorithmic Governance

Key players

Freedom in Education: Mother-Tongue Instruction, Religious Practice and Pluralism

Key players

Resources

News, lessons, and country profiles to prep for Congress on Freedom Studies 2026.

Recent reporting to ground your prep

West Bengal Voter Deletion Crisis 2026

West Bengal Voter Deletion Crisis

North Korea's Nuclear Navy Developments

India Naval Edge: Three Ships Commissioned

Lessons

Bite-sized lessons to build the basics

Hidden Stakeholders

Engagement Strategies

Dynamic Analysis

Stakeholder Mapping Workshop

Courses

Guided courses that go deeper on the topic

Advanced Negotiation

Multilateral Negotiation

Policy Brief Writing

Conflict Resolution

The states in play, with the data that shapes their stance

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Country dossier

Turkey September 2026

By committee

Committees & topics

Why it matters

How to prepare

Country perspectives

Topics & background

Resources

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Frequently asked questions

Committees & topics

Why it matters

How to prepare

Country perspectives

Topics & background

Resources

Related conferences

Istanbul Security Conference® 2026

Morocco – International Diplomacy: An Academic Meeting in Istanbul

International Conference on Global Politics and International Relations ICGPIRS

8th International Conference on Globalization & International Relations

International Conference on Globalization & International Relations

International Society for Intellectual History Conference 2026 (ISIH 2026)

Frequently asked questions