University of Oulu, 11.–12.6.2026
(With pre-seminar & workshops 10.6.2026)
DELIBERATE consortium organizes a joint conference that specifically invites academic researchers engaged in the study of dialogue, democracy, and education. Researchers from philosophy, pedagogy, history, political science, and related disciplines are encouraged to contribute their expertise as we collectively advance academic understanding and innovation within democratic education.
Dialogue has long been central to democracy, yet its role in democratic education is now facing new challenges. Today’s polarized political climate and critiques of discussion-based democracy highlight difficulties in achieving genuine dialogue, with some arguing these models are too idealized or impractical given real educational inequalities. Still, dialogue, deliberation, and debate remain vital for a functioning democratic society. This conference aims to explore how these modes of communication are realized and their significance in democratic education.
Presentations are welcomed on topics linking dialogue, deliberation, debate, education, democracy, and related concepts, as well as work connecting different theories and research fields. While the conference focuses on philosophy of education, contributions from pedagogical practice, teacher education, empirical educational research, history of education, and political science are also encouraged.
As part of the conference, a pre-seminar and workshop on philosophizing with children and young people and the Community of Philosophical Inquiry pedagogy will be held on June 10. The pre-seminar will feature presentations, a panel discussion, and workshops. Further details and registration for the pre-seminar will be made available in early 2026.
The international collaborators of DELIBERATE consortium will act as keynote speakers and panelists of the conference and the pre-seminar: Nicholas C. Burbules (Emeritus Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign); Silvia Edling (Professor of Education, University of Gävle); Andrea English (Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor in Philosophy of Education, University of Edinburgh); Maughn Gregory (Professor of Educational Foundations, Montclair State University); Walter Kohan (Professor of Philosophy of Education, State University of Rio de Janeiro); Jonas Lieberkind (Associate Professor of Educational Sociology, Danish School of Education, Aarhus University); Dina Mendonça (Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Philosophy, Nova University of Lisbon).
Submissions (abstracts, full papers, and symposia proposals) by Nov 30, 2025, instructions available at conference web page: Dialogue in Democratic Education.
Full paper submissions will be considered for publication in an edited volume after the conference.
Registration opens January 5, 2026. Early bird registration by April 15: Conference fee 95 €. Attendees presenting must register by April 15. Registration from April 16 to June 5: Conference fee 130 €. Doctoral students free of charge.
A Warm Welcome to Oulu!
On behalf of the Organizing Committee,
Katariina Holma, Hanna-Maija Huhtala, Anniina Leiviskä, Jan Löfström and Tuukka Tomperi
Conference is organized in collaboration between DELIBERATE, The Philosophy of Democracy Education research group (DEMOED), University of Oulu & The Finnish Network of the History and Philosophy of Education.
