Call for Papers

Crisis and Continuity: The Declaration of Independence 250 Years On

Annual Meeting of the Political Science Section of the German Association for American Studies

Atlantische Akademie Rheinland-Pfalz e.V. – Department of Political Science of the University of Freiburg

Date:

May 7-9, 2026

Location:

Studienhaus Wiesneck, Wiesneckstraße 6, 79256 Buchenbach

As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, this milestone invites critical reflection on the endurance, evolution, and contestation of its core democratic ideals. Against the backdrop of renewed democratic erosion, political polarization, and the legacy of Trump-era populism, this conference calls on scholars to interrogate the meaning of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” in the 21st century—and to assess the role of foundational American principles in times of democratic uncertainty.

This interdisciplinary conference brings together scholars in political science and the broader field of American Studies to foreground urgent debates about institutional decline, political identity, and democratic resilience. What is the afterlife of 1776 in a moment where core democratic norms and institutions are under pressure? How do we understand the Declaration’s global legacy of freedom and equality in a context of exclusion, racial inequality, and rising autocracy? How do current developments mirror American eras of the past that were defined by exclusion and oppression?

We welcome paper proposals that pose timely questions, adopt diverse theoretical or methodological approaches, or offer comparative perspectives. Submissions may address (but are not limited to) the following problem areas:

• Democratic backsliding and the contested legacy of American republicanism
• The reinvention of foundational myths in public discourse and political mobilization
• Populism, charismatic leadership, and institutional checks and balances
• The State of the Union and intergovernmental relations in a Red v. Blue states environment
• Electoral politics and related issues like the reframing of voting rights or gerrymandering
• Race, exclusion, and the unfinished project of American democracy
• The Declaration of Independence in political rhetoric and civic education
• Judicial politics and reinterpretations of liberty and equality
• Domestic economy, budgetary politics, and foreign trade
• International relations, global influence, soft power, and the crisis of democratic legitimacy
• Political memory and commemoration: 1776 and historical counter-narratives
• Public opinion, trust, and the legitimacy of democratic governance
• Security, surveillance, and government accountability in post-9/11 America
• The digital environment and the transformation of democratic participation

We particularly encourage submissions from early-career researchers (MA students, PhD candidates, postdocs) and scholars interested in interdisciplinary exchange. The conference is intended as a space for robust academic dialogue, methodological innovation, and critical engagement with the political challenges of our time.

Please submit your paper proposal (title, author(s), and a 200-word abstract) by January 7, 2026 to christoph.haas(at)politik.uni-freiburg.de. You may also submit panel proposals (4–5 papers with a thematic rationale). Notification of acceptance will be sent by January 21, 2026. Full papers are expected one week prior to the conference.

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