Erich Fromm and the Crisis of Democracy: Educational, Psychological, and Sociological Perspectives
Teachers College, Columbia University, New York — October 8–10, 2026
The Erich Fromm Society of North America (EFSNA) will hold its Second Biennial Conference at Teachers College, Columbia University in New York from 8 to 10 October 2026. This year’s theme asks how Erich Fromm can inform our thinking about the crisis of democracy today.
In recent years, scholarly interest in Fromm’s work has seen a remarkable revival. Researchers from a wide range of disciplines are rediscovering how Fromm — as sociologist, psychoanalyst, political activist, public intellectual, and first-generation critical theorist of the Frankfurt School — speaks to our present moment with unusual force. As the world faces a web of interconnected crises, from climate change to the global rise of authoritarianism, the Freudo-Marxian synthesis at the heart of Fromm’s thought offers conceptual resources that feel newly urgent. By joining an analysis of large- and small-scale social processes with close attention to interpersonal and intrapsychic dynamics, Fromm points toward a deeply humane way of thinking about the challenges of individual and collective life.
As both a survivor of twentieth-century fascism and one of its foremost theorists, Fromm is well placed to illuminate the crisis of democracy we now confront in the twenty-first century. The conference invites reflection on how his life and work might guide our educational, psychological, and sociological perspectives on the world today — and whether a Frommian sense of hope can be found amidst it all.
Call for Abstracts
The organisers welcome submissions from all fields and on all topics engaging with Fromm’s work, with particular interest in contributions addressing the current crisis of democracy in the United States and around the globe. Both individual papers and panel proposals (for panels of up to three people) will be considered. Abstracts should be no longer than 350 words and include a title.
- Deadline for submissions: 1 April 2026
- Notification of acceptance: by 30 May 2026
The conference prioritises in-person presentations, but remote and hybrid options will be made available to international presenters if needed.
Further information and the submission form can be found on the EFSNA website: https://www.efsna.org
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