Olga Ceran co-convenes a session at the European Rule of Law Conference 2025
The European Rule of Law Conference 2025, hosted by re:constitution at the Berlin Social Science Center (15-16 September), brought together scholars, practitioners, and civil society to critically examine the challenges facing democracy and the rule of law in Europe and to explore ways of shaping their future.
As part of the event, Olga Ceran (a re:constitution alumna) co-convened a working session entitled ‘Scholactivism: Between Duty and Overreach’, belonging to the thematic cluster on ‘Legal Advocacy & Civic Futures’.
Featuring senior speakers and re:constitution alumni from academia and civil society, the panel session discussed the role of academics in defending constitutional values, the risks and responsibilities of public engagement, and the institutional conditions that facilitate or constrain academic activism. Speakers included Jan Komárek (Charles University, Czechia), Noémi Fanni Molnár (Lawyer & ELTE Center for Theory of Law, Hungary), Aarti Narsee (European Civic Forum), András Sajó (Central European University, Austria), and Alexander Somek (University of Vienna, Austria). While views ranged from caution against politicisation and loss of academic legitimacy, to calls for more critical and engaged scholarship, the discussion highlighted that there is no "one size fits all" approach – what matters is continous reflection on the modes and conditions of scholarly engagement that allow it to strengthen both academia and the activist causes it seeks to support.
The session was co-convened by Maciej Krogel (University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands), Katarzyna Krzyżanowska (European University Institute, Italy), and Max Steuer (University of Münster, Germany) – all re:constitution alumni.
More information about the conference can be found here.