Advanced Liberty & Society Seminar: Explored Liberalism, Economics, and Public Policy.

Centre for Civil Society organised the Advanced Liberty & Society Seminar between 27 to 30 September 2024. 

This four day program was organised at the campus of Indian School of Public Policy in New Delhi and was attended by 34 participants who were students and young professionals from cities across India.

The seminar contained 18 sessions conducted by 10 faculty members who are leading academics and thinkers from around the world.

Ideas and subjects covered in the seminar included topics of Austrian economics, political philosophy of liberalism, the roles of state, market, and society, etc.

Faculty

1. Mr. Aaron Ross Powell, Former Director and Editor, Libertarianism.org
2. Mr. Barun Mitra, Free Thinker and Independent Researcher
3. Dr. Bryan Caplan, Professor of Economics at George Mason University and Research Fellow, Mercatus Center
4. Dr. Christopher Lingle, Visiting Professor of Economics, UFM Guatemala 
5. Ms. Mana Shah, Facilitator, Gathering Genie 
6. Mr. Mohit Satyanand, Entrepreneur, Investor, and Economic Commentator
7. Dr. Parth J. Shah, Founder Dean, Indian School of Public Policy
8. Dr. Shruti Rajagopalan, Senior Research Fellow, Mercatus Center, George Mason University 
9. Dr. Tom G. Palmer, George M. Yeager Chair for Advancing Liberty, Atlas Network, and Author of Institutions and Economic Development
10. Dr. Vipin Veetil, Chair Assistant Professor of Economics, IIM-Kozhikode 

Participants

We curated a cohort of 34 participants who were students and young professionals in the age group of 19 to 34 years who were from a diverse mix of disciplines ranging from political science, economics, law, management, engineering, and  public policy. Participants also represented several public policy organisations including their own startup initiatives, like TrustBridge, xKDR, Prosperiti, Nayaneethi, and Students for Liberty. 

Topics covered

Participants engaged in profound conversations exploring topics such as liberalism, trade, entrepreneurship, inflation, political systems, central banking, open borders, regulations, Buddhism and liberalism,  among many others. The connections drawn between the different seminar lectures enhanced the overall learning experience.

Seminar highlights

Participants were also fortunate to have Ms. Manali Shah as their guide at the start of the seminar. She skillfully set the norms, expectations, and fostered mindfulness among participants, encouraging them to engage deeply in both individual and collective inquiry. Her interactive activities, including listing participants’ burning questions on liberty and freedom, ensured that the seminar remained highly participatory.

Throughout the seminar, participants had ample opportunities to engage with faculty members such as Mr. Barun Mitra, Dr. Tom G. Palmer, Dr. Christopher Lingle, Dr. Bryan Caplan and Mr. Aaron Ross Powell, allowing them to ask questions and seek clarifications on various topics.

Additionally, the seminar was enriched by two dinner talks with Dr. Bryan Caplan and Mr. Mohit Satyanand, that turned out to be additional opportunities to learn and interact for participants.

Some glimpses from the four days of ALSS

Testimonials

Ms. Rida Yumn Ahmed
The diverse topics, from moral obligations to obeying the state to the intricacies of economic bubbles, kept me engaged and inspired throughout the event.

Mr. Md. Saiful Islam Shanto
The past four days were full of learning, with 16 great sessions and the chance to meet amazing people. This experience has been truly memorable and I believe this experience and knowledge will help me a lot in the future.

Mr. Manas Kumar
What set ALSS apart was its interactive and thought-provoking approach. Rather than merely presenting information, the sessions encourage active engagement with the ideas. This format allowed me to challenge my pre-existing notions and critically examine long-held beliefs. The open environment fostered meaningful discussions, where questions were not just welcomed but encouraged, leading to a deeper exploration of complex concepts. Moreover, the seminar provided a wealth of resources for further study, enabling participants to continue their exploration of ideas beyond the confines of the sessions.

Mr. Anand S. Unni
Hearing ideas from the seminar faculty allowed me to connect many of my thoughts on liberty, freedom, economy and society. I began believing in liberalism and free markets because it seemed logical and could benefit everyone including the poor - this idea was reaffirmed even more through the sessions. The learning experience was made even better through discussions with my wonderful co-participants.

Seminar Schedule