Democracy at a Crossroads: Personalist Nationalism or Supranational Corporatism?

The Ateneo Law and Liberty Circle invites you to a thought-provoking discussion on “Democracy at a Crossroads: Personalist Nationalism or Supranational Corporatism?” Join us on Friday, 28 February 2025, at 10:30 am to 12 noon, at the Ateneo Law School Auditorium, Basement 1, Rockwell Center, Makati City.

In recent years, instead of seriously considering populist demands for greater transparency, accountability, competency, and fairness, long-established political parties (and the special interest groups who support them) label their opponents as “threats to democracy” and censor them. In this globalized and technological age, as their governance model, progressive and conservative politicians in the West offer “supranational corporatism,” in which the State, international organizations, transnational businesses, and NGOs share power in pursuit of the utopian goal of human security for all. Perhaps, “personalist nationalism” is an alternative governing model, whereby the State prioritizes the dignity of each person to pursue life, liberty, and happiness in freedom and in the context of the unique cultural, social, and historical conditions and experiences of their homeland.

Our guest speaker, James P Kelly III, will explore these themes. Kelly is the Founder and President of Solidarity Center for Law and Justice, PC, an Atlanta, Georgia-based public interest human rights law firm that promotes the right to education and freedom of religion and expression. From 2001 to 2022, he authored and filed five amicus curiae briefs in the Supreme Court of United States pertaining to educational freedom, religious freedom, and freedom of expression.

Since 2005, Kelly has served on an of counsel basis as the Director of International Affairs for the 90,000 member Washington DC-based Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies. He is responsible for international judicial and civil society outreach and for monitoring developments in the areas of human rights, rule of law, democracy, anti-corruption, and national sovereignty.

Register now at https://bitly.cx/ALLC_FedSoc . For inquiries, please contact Norman Jr Pamisaran (President, ALLC) at 09165516096 or through his email address: norman.pamisaran@student.ateneo.edu