Freedom and Its Repressions in Liberal Democracies

What does freedom mean under contemporary liberal democracies – and how is it being reshaped, limited, or instrumentalized?

This three-day symposium brings together artists, scholars, cultural practitioners, and activists to critically examine the concept of freedom and its paradoxes. While freedom is frequently invoked as a foundational value of democratic societies, current political and cultural developments reveal increasing pressures on institutional autonomy, artistic expression, academic research, and the right to dissent.

The symposium explores the structural conditions under which freedoms are granted, negotiated, or withdrawn. Particular attention will be paid to mechanisms of political regulation, funding dependencies, public controversies, and discursive framings – including debates around antisemitism, state responsibility, and the limits of critique.

Which ethical, political, and legal foundations and methods are relevant here? How can and should institutions and civil society position themselves in these discussions?

PROGRAM

• Friday, 13 March 2026: 6:30 – 9:00 PM
• Saturday, 14 March 2026: 10:30 AM – 9:00 PM
• Sunday, 15 March 2026: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
• Sunday, 15 March 2026: 1:00 – 2:00 PM

A detailed program will be published shortly.