About The Workshop
SW 80– The Politicisation of the Rule of Law: Between Resilience and Adaptation. Philosophical and Sociological Perspectives
Convenors:Paweł Skuczyński; Maciej Pichlak; Jan Winczorek
Contact: p.skuczynski@wpia.uw.edu.pl
We invite submissions for a special workshop dedicated to examining the processes and problems associated with the politicisation of the rule of law. Recent global developments—including democratic backsliding, constitutional populism, rule‑of‑law crises, and challenges to institutional independence—have intensified scholarly interest in the capacity of legal and political systems to withstand, adapt to, and recover from pressures that threaten the integrity of the rule of law.
The workshop explores the tension between stability and transformation under conditions of political stress on two closely interrelated levels. The first concerns institutions, with particular emphasis on judicial bodies as central guardians of the rule of law. The second concerns constitutional imaginaries, which may be either conducive or detrimental to rule‑of‑law commitments. A range of conceptual, empirical, and normative questions arises in this context: What does resilience mean at each of these levels? How do developments in one domain affect the other? How do rule‑of‑law institutions and constitutional orders respond to political pressures, and what factors enhance their ability to preserve their core identities? To what extent should they resist change, and when should they transform in response to legitimate political demands?
The workshop also proceeds from the recognition that the rule of law is a political ideal, not merely a set of legal technicalities. From this perspective, one may ask whether “politicisation” should always be regarded as a threat to the rule of law, or whether it can, under certain conditions, contribute to strengthening its institutional and normative foundations. In light of ongoing controversies and challenges, the time is ripe to reaffirm—and perhaps rethink—the political underpinnings of the rule of law.
Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
- Philosophical foundations of the rule of law and its resilience
- Conceptual analyses of resilience in legal and political theory
- Institutional safeguards of the rule of law
- Constitutional design and democratic resilience
- The relationship between rule of law resilience and liberal democracy
- Judicial independence and constitutional courts under pressure
- Populism, authoritarian tendencies, and rule of law erosion
- The role of civil society in sustaining rule of law institutions
We welcome submissions from scholars at all career stages. Interdisciplinary approaches and contributions connecting philosophy with law, political science, or sociology are particularly encouraged.
Submission Guidelines
Please submit an abstract of 300–500 words along with a short biographical note (max. 100 words). Abstracts should clearly indicate the research question, theoretical framework, and main argument.
Important Dates
- Abstract submission deadline: 15.05.2026
- Notification of acceptance: 1.06.2026
Submission and Contact
Abstracts should be sent to Pawel Skuczynski: p.skuczynski@wpia.uw.edu.pl
