World Democracy Congress 2025

World Democracy Congress 2025
First International Interdisciplinary Democracy Conference on Sustainable Political Development in Transitional Democracies
 

Youth-led movements have transformed the struggle for democracy wrldwide—from the Arab Spring in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Syria to more recent mobilizations in Sudan, Sri Lanka, Senegal, Bangladesh, and Nepal. These uprisings have opened unprecedented opportunities for institutional and constitutional reforms aimed at preventing future authoritarian or fascist regimes. Yet translating popular mobilization into sustainable democratic governance remains one of the central challenges of our time.

Bangladesh today stands at the forefront of this challenge. Following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s fifteen-year authoritarian rule, Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus has launched a challenging transition program, establishing 11 commissions to prescribe socio-political and constitutional reforms, alongside a “Shadow Reforms Commission” drawing on perspectives of civil society, academia and citizens. The National Consensus Commission has facilitated framing a tentative July Charter derived from a series of meetings with 39 political parties that agreed on nearly five dozen policy reforms to institutionalize accountable governance ahead of a scheduled February 2026 general election. Nevertheless, disagreements over electoral procedures and the scope of reforms, delays in trials and asset recovery, unplanned administrative restructuring, fragile banking institutions, and the need for socio-cultural reconciliation have complicated the progress.7

Why This Congress Now

At this critical juncture, the World Democracy Congress 2025 will address the question: How can nations undergoing transitional phases strengthen their democratic systems? It aims to answer this question by exploring the strategies of mass uprisings, state reform initiatives, electoral integrity process, and institution building, while also considering the complex trajectories of science, business, and historical landscape in transitional democracies. 

With the slogan "Empowering Transition, Building Democracy,” the World Democracy Congress 2025 will be the first international, interdisciplinary democracy conference in Bangladesh that focuses on the broader theme “From Uprising to Sustainable Democracy: Strengthening Institutions, Upholding Rights, and Building Resilient Societies.” It will provide a high-level forum for comparative insights and practical strategies to advance democratic transitions worldwide.

Conference Themes

The World Democracy Congress 2025 invites contributions that address the most pressing challenges of democratic transition. Building on Bangladesh’s ongoing reforms and comparative experiences worldwide, the Congress will organize panels around the following themes:

• Mass Uprising and the Transition from an Authoritarian Regime;
• Poverty, Inequality and Economic Governance;
• Political Reforms and State Building;
• Religion and Politics;
• Elections and Electoral Integrity;
• Institution Building and Political Consolidation;
• Constitutional and Legal Reforms;
• Reconciliation and Justice;
• Constitution and Human Rights;
• Political Narratives and Cultural Fanaticism;
• Civil Society in Democracy;
• Science and Democracy;
• Populism, Politics and Democracy;
• Mass Communication in Political Transition;
• Civil-Military Relations;
• Health Reforms;
• Gender and Politics;
• Youth and Democratization;
• Business and Politics;
• Good Governance;
• Geopolitics and Foreign Policy;
• Marginalized Communities and Inclusion;
• Arts, Language and Literature in Democratic Resilience.

Deadlines

• Abstract Submission Deadline
  • Early Bird: 7 November 2025
  • Last Round: 1 December 2025
• Final Paper Submission Deadline: 15 December 2025

Submission Guidelines

The PPSRF and World Democracy Congress invite scholars, researchers, practitioners, and students worldwide to submit abstracts for this First International Interdisciplinary Democracy Conference on Sustainable Political Development in Transitional Democracies. Submissions should present original research that offer innovative and empirical analyses, comparative perspectives, or practical strategies on the Congress themes, with particular focus on post-revolutionary and mass-upheaval contexts in the Global South, South Asia, and Bangladesh. We especially welcome contributions from early-career scholars, students and young faculty members to share fresh ideas and engage with an international and diverse academic communities.

Abstracts (200–300 words) must include: title, objectives, methodology, and key findings. Accepted participants will later submit an extended abstract and full paper. Each submission should be accompanied by a brief résumé (max 100 words) and a recent photo via the provided Google Form. (https://forms.gle/Lw8nVPcH6rd7DXDH8). For queries, contact: democracycongress@gmail.com.