About The Workshop
SW 47– Democratic Authority and Its Boundaries
Convenors: Shinichi Tabata, Hirohide Takikawa
Contact: shin-tabata@toki.waseda.jp, tkkw@j.u-tokyo.ac.jp
This special workshop explores the foundations and limits of democratic authority. It is commonly asserted that decisions made through democratic processes possess authority, and that those subject to such decisions therefore have an obligation to obey. Some theorists argue that procedural values inherent in democratic decision-making procedure―such as equality, autonomy, and fairness―provide the basis for this authority. Others maintain that democratic processes derive their authority from their instrumental values, insofar as they tend to produce good outcomes, such as correct decisions, peace, civic virtue, and the reduction of domination. The main aim of this workshop is to compare and critically examine these competing grounds of democratic authority.
To pursue this aim, it is also essential to consider the boundaries of democratic authority. These include, among others, the following cases: authoritarian regimes (do the foundations of democratic authority rule out the legitimate authority of authoritarian regimes?), experts (how can democratic authority be reconciled with the authority of experts?), foreigners (do non-citizens have a moral obligation to obey the law, in addition to their legal obligation? If so, should they be granted suffrage on this basis?), and minors (do minors have an obligation to obey the laws of their state into which they were born into it but have no voice in shaping?).
We welcome submissions from scholars interested in questions concerning democracy and authority. Please send abstracts of approximately 300 words to the convenors by April 20th, 2026.
Language: English
