Institute for the Study of Modern Authoritarianism

LibCon2025

Liberalism for the 21st Century

August 14–15, 2025The Watergate Hotel, Washington, D.C.

ISMA's second annual conference brought together 250+ attendees from around the world to address the rise of illiberalism and chart a course forward for liberal democracy.

Highlights

  • Opening keynote by Suketu Mehta on the transition from liberalism to illiberalism
  • Evening keynote by Vladimir Kara-Murza
  • Closing fireside chat with Steven Pinker & Derek Thompson
  • Panels on constitutional crisis, immigration, AI & democracy, and religious nationalism

Schedule

4:00 PM

5:15 PM

Keynote

Boiling the Frog: What Does the Transition from Liberalism to Illiberalism Feel Like?

SMSuketu Mehta

5:30 PM

6:30 PM

Panel

Liberalism at a Time of Constitutional Crisis: Taking Stock of US Democracy

JGJack GoldsmithFFFrancis FukuyamaRMRuth MarcusBWBen Wittes

6:30 PM

8:30 PM

Keynote

Dinner & Keynote

VKVladimir Kara-Murza

Speakers

Suketu Mehta

Suketu Mehta

Author & Pulitzer Prize Finalist

Vladimir Kara-Murza

Vladimir Kara-Murza

Russian Opposition Politician

Steven Pinker

Steven Pinker

Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology

Harvard University

Derek Thompson

Derek Thompson

Co-Author, Abundance

Francis Fukuyama

Francis Fukuyama

Senior Fellow

Stanford University

Ruth Marcus

Ruth Marcus

Author, Supreme Ambition

Jack Goldsmith

Jack Goldsmith

Professor

Harvard University

Ben Wittes

Ben Wittes

Senior Fellow

Brookings Institution

Jennifer Mittelstadt

Jennifer Mittelstadt

Professor

Rutgers University

Daniel Drezner

Daniel Drezner

Professor

Fletcher School, Tufts University

Nayyera Haq

Nayyera Haq

Assistant Dean

Maxwell School, Syracuse University

Chandran Kukathas

Chandran Kukathas

Author & Professor

Singapore Management University

David Goodhart

David Goodhart

Author, The Care Dilemma

Bill Kristol

Bill Kristol

Editor-at-Large

The Bulwark

Alexander Sikorski

Alexander Sikorski

Founder

Zryw Foundation

León Krauze

León Krauze

Academy Director

World Liberty Congress

Sabina Ćudić

Sabina Ćudić

Member of Parliament

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Yascha Mounk

Yascha Mounk

Founder

Persuasion

Saffron Huang

Saffron Huang

Researcher, Social Impacts

Anthropic

Clay Shirky

Clay Shirky

Vice Provost for AI and Tech

New York University

Puja Ohlhaver

Puja Ohlhaver

Researcher

Allen Lab

Mike Masnick

Mike Masnick

Founder and Editor

Techdirt

Jonathan Rauch

Jonathan Rauch

Senior Fellow

Brookings Institution

Damon Linker

Damon Linker

Senior Lecturer

University of Pennsylvania

Tom Palmer

Tom Palmer

Senior Fellow

Cato Institute

Laura Field

Laura Field

Author, Furious Minds

Zack Beauchamp

Zack Beauchamp

Senior Correspondent

Vox

Tina Nguyen

Tina Nguyen

Reporter

The Verge

Talia Lavin

Talia Lavin

Author, Culture Warlords

Will Sommer

Will Sommer

Reporter

The Bulwark

Asawin Suebsaeng

Asawin Suebsaeng

Reporter

Rolling Stone

Stephanie Muravchik

Stephanie Muravchik

Associate Fellow

University of Virginia

Samantha Hancox-Li

Samantha Hancox-Li

Associate Editor

Liberal Currents

Ed Warren

Ed Warren

Co-Founder

Good Growth Alliance

Richard Kahlenberg

Richard Kahlenberg

Director, American Identity Project

Progressive Policy Institute

Mustafa Akyol

Mustafa Akyol

Senior Fellow

Cato Institute

Michael Wear

Michael Wear

President & CEO

Center for Christianity and Public Life

Rabbi Gideon Sylvester

Rabbi Gideon Sylvester

Sacks Scholar

Rabbi Sacks Legacy