The Institute for the Study of Modern Authoritarianism Hosts its Second Annual 'Liberalism for the 21st Century' Conference

The UnPopulist's publisher will build on last year's highly successful event and bring together intellectuals and advocates fighting authoritarianism from around the world again

Jun 24, 2025

Liberal democracy is not the permanent state of things—in much of the world, it’s not even the status quo. It has had to fight for everything it has won. Throughout the 20th century, it successfully beat back fascism and communism. But those were not once-for-all victories. In the 21st century, it is facing new ideological challenges—many of them aggressively authoritarian strains of populist nationalism—united around a shared rejection of liberalism.

In relatively short order, these emerging authoritarian currents have gained enormous political traction around the world, resulting in a wave of global democratic backsliding. They are mobilizing majoritarian grievances to question liberalism’s commitment to ordered liberty, toleration, pluralism, and equality under the rule of law.

If allowed to endure, these ideologies would undo the unprecedented political stability, peace, and prosperity that Enlightenment liberalism has delivered over the last 250 years. There is no more urgent task than to defeat them—not through coercion, but through persuasion in the realm of ideas.

For this reason, true liberals, who understand the enormous stakes in this battle, need to set aside their existing policy disagreements and come together in a renewed defense of core liberal-democratic values (limited government, openness, pluralism, toleration, and human rights) and institutions (checks-and-balances, separation of powers, executive restraint, and representative governance). They need to jettison the old and stale left/right divisions and forge a new liberal/illiberal alignment. They need to offer a revitalized intellectual defense of liberalism and show how it is the only governing system that can generate workable solutions with broad buy-in for the very problems that now lead people to reject it.

To this end, the Institute for the Study of Modern Authoritarianism (ISMA), publisher of the The UnPopulist, will convene its second annual, “Liberalism for the 21st Century” conference from August 14 to 15 at D.C.’s Watergate Hotel (yes, the irony is not lost on us!). ISMA, once again, will assemble the world’s leading liberal thinkers, journalists, and advocates for two days dedicated to countering the rise of illiberalism and charting a course forward for a revitalized liberalism that can answer the challenges of the modern era.

This year, the conference will kick off with a keynote by Pulitzer-finalist, Suketu Mehta, who will describe, using his novelist’s eye, how the socio-psychology of a people changes when a free society transitions into autocracy. It will take stock of America’s descent into illiberalism and what that portends for the world. It will discuss the intellectual roots of illiberal ideologies and debate issues such as immigration where liberals offer different approaches.

Indeed, to model the values of tolerance and pluralism that are core to a liberal order, the conference will bring together liberals of different strains from various religions, nationalities, sexualities, and races, all united by a common concern for liberalism.

The featured speakers this year include Francis Fukuyama, Steven Pinker, Ruth Marcus, Jack Goldsmith, Dan Drezner, Jennifer Mittelstadt, Laura Field, Marc Dunkelman, Vladimir Kara-Murza, Ben Wittes, Jonathan Rauch, Leopoldo López, Derek Thompson, and many others.

You can find the full program here.

The event will be open to the public but you’ll need to register to attend. Capacity is limited—last year we sold out several weeks before the event!—so act fast and ask your fellow liberals to do the same.

This is going to be the biggest and most important conclave of liberals held within living memory. You won’t want to miss it.

Thanks for supporting The UnPopulist and its mission. See you in August.

Important Info

Conference: Liberalism for the 21st Century
What Is It: A global convening to defend and revitalize liberal democracy.
Who Is Hosting It: The Institute for the Study of Modern Authoritarianism (ISMA)
Who Will Be Speaking: Go here to explore the program
When Is It: August 14–15
Where Is It: The Watergate Hotel, Washington, D.C.
How To Register: Go here to register for the conference