Our inaugural Liberalism for the 21st Century conference, held in Washington, D.C., July 11-12 was a big hit, receiving rave reviews all around. Individual attendees wrote in to us calling the conference “absolutely excellent,” “a stellar lineup,” and “the most interesting, most stimulating, and best organized conference I’ve attended in years.” News reports were equally complimentary, noting the event was “packed with high-quality panels” drawing from “a star-studded cast” that “modeled how liberals across the ideological spectrum might table old left/right divides to focus on the more pressing threat of illiberalism worldwide.”
Here are some of the media commentaries:
Reclaiming Liberalism, in a Time of Peril and Hope by Cathy Young – The Bulwark
“The conference, hosted by the Institute for the Study of Modern Authoritarianism and organized by its president, Shikha Dalmia, admirably avoided the trap of liberal self-congratulation. It grappled seriously with challenges to liberalism, both general, encompassing the “post-liberal” critiques, and specific, including liberal solutions to climate change and ways to combat disinformation without censorship.”
A Liberalism Undaunted by First Principles by Luis Parrales – The Dispatch
“Many of the conversations during the two-day conference focused on ways to tackle specific policy challenges—safeguarding elections, strengthening international institutions, addressing climate change—but what struck me most about the gathering was how many in attendance seemed just as eager to explore the theoretical challenges to liberalism and respond to matters of first principles. In doing so, it was impossible not to notice a disconnect between liberalism as painted by its fervent critics and liberalism as envisioned by some of its most committed advocates.”
“The Liberalism for the 21st Century conference did not try to resolve these admittedly notable disagreements. On the contrary, it highlighted that even those who embrace the liberal label and worry about the rise of illiberalism have different approaches and points of emphasis. Multiculturalist liberals and feminist liberals do not always agree or reach a clear solution. Neither do libertarian liberals or more egalitarian liberals.”
“But by the same token, the varieties of liberalism on display at the conference suggest the philosophy is far more varied than post-liberal critics have granted. While the latter present liberalism as an ideology that’s devoid of local or national attachments or unconcerned with advancing a vision of “the good,” the liberals in attendance had clearly thought seriously about these questions.”
“With those goals in mind, the Liberalism for the 21st Century conference envisioned what a liberal realignment might look like—at least for some of the most engaged participants in these debates. It modeled how liberals across the ideological spectrum might table old left/right divides to focus on the more pressing threat of illiberalism worldwide.”
Liberalism's Embattled Present (and Possibly Hopeful Future) by Damon Linker – Notes from the Middleground
“There was talk of the gathering being the first of many such meetings, and I hope that proves to be the case. It was an inspiring and stimulating event that brought together writers, thinkers, policymakers, and analysts ranging from the center-left to the center-right and united in their skepticism of the ascendent populist right around the world, while also taking its challenge to the liberal order every bit as seriously as it needs to be.”