Chairs
JaeHwang Jeong jjh58@skku.edu
Adem Kassie adem.abebe@gmail.com

This theme will focus on exploring whether current constitutional thought and practice can adapt to rapid societal, technological, economic, and political changes, as well as to cater for issues particularly affecting the future generation, notably climate change, participation/voice of those who cannot vote (children) and issues related to public debt. Proposals can cover issues related to digitalization, artificial intelligence, data privacy, emerging forms of communication and social control, (foreign) manipulation of democratic processes, the voice of those who cannot vote (children), public debt, and how these may interact with constitutional and democratic governance. The goal is to assess whether current constitutions can adequately enable the promotion of the common good and protect fundamental rights from potential challenges such as mass surveillance, climate change, pandemics, or unsustainable public debt, or even constrain efforts towards these goals. In addition, proposals could consider whether current constitutions facilitate or hinder effective citizen participation in contexts marked by globalization, decentralization, and growing distrust in traditional institutions. Moreover, the theme provides an opportunity to interrogate potential tensions between state sovereignty and constitutional supremacy, particularly in light of international obligations undertaken by states. In summary, the theme seeks to enable reflection on whether constitutions and their reform mechanisms are suited to times of uncertainty, crisis or when updates are needed.