We are pleased to share the Call for Papers for the interdisciplinary conference Democracy Under Pressure: Conditions of the Authoritarian Turn Yesterday and Today, to be held at WU Vienna on 24-26 May 2027.
The conference brings together scholars from law and socioeconomics to examine the current rise of authoritarian tendencies around the world and to explore which socioeconomic, legal, and institutional responses could strengthen democratic resilience. The conference addresses these challenges in dialogue with four pivotal thinkers – Friedrich Hayek, Karl Polanyi, Hans Kelsen, and Carl Schmitt – whose influential yet antagonistic accounts of the proper economic and constitutional order remain highly relevant for contemporary debate. Confirmed keynote speakers are Katharina Pistor(Columbia University) and Quinn Slobodian (Boston University).
We welcome the submission of individual abstracts as well as proposals for complete panels from scholars in law, socioeconomics, political economy, constitutional theory, political science, economic sociology, history and related research fields — at all career stages, and from all regions, including the Global South.
Deadline for Abstract Submission: 15 October 2026
You can find the full Call for Papers including conference themes and submission guidelines on the conference website:
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the conference team via democracy2027@wu.ac.at
The conference is organized as a collaboration between the Institute for Law and Governance, the Institute for Spatial and Social-Ecological Transformations (ISSET), and the International Karl Polanyi Society (IKPS).
DETAILS
Date:
May 24th-26th, 2027
Keynote Speakers:
Katharina Pistor (Columbia Law)
Quinn Slobodian (Boston University)
Quinn Slobodian
Katharina Pistor
Organised by:
Institute for Law and Governance
Institute for Spatial and Social-Ecological Transformations (ISSET)
International Karl Polanyi Society (IKPS)
(WU Vienna University of Economics and Business)
Check out our preparatory work & events:
As preparation for the conference we have held Reading Cicles and two webinars and we also reccommend our FASCISM & LIBERALISM blog, which you can find here:
