Inside the 2026 Libertarian Scholars Conference

I attended this year’s Libertarian Scholars Conference—my first time at a conference organized by the Mises Institute. It was an excellent conference—engaging, intellectually stimulating, well-organized, and carried by a genuinely great atmosphere.

As a young scholar, I didn’t attend libertarian conferences, as I was a PhD student of one of those great Polish logicians, working within a different academic field. At the same time, however, my personal convictions were already firmly aligned with classical liberal and libertarian ideas. In post-communist Central Europe, for a young person interested in ideas, it was almost impossible not to encounter names like Ludwig von Mises or Friedrich August von Hayek, thanks in no small part to politicians such as Václav Klaus. These were not ideas one could remain indifferent to—you either rejected them or were drawn to them. I was very much in the latter group. I engaged with these ideas alongside my academic work, but never felt a strong need to pursue them more formally—they seemed to be doing quite well in our part of the world. 

That changed over time—and things changed for me as well. In recent years, I’ve made libertarian philosophy a central part of my research. After connecting with excellent European research centers, it felt like a natural next step to get to know, in person, the community around the Mises Institute. Thanks to the openness of the Institute, as well as the encouragement and support of my great friend and advisor, Łukasz Dominiak, I spent time there as a visiting researcher. It was a truly rewarding time, and the Institute’s in-house scholars—led by Joseph Salerno—were exceptionally welcoming. It quickly became clear to me that this was a place I would want to return to. I was therefore genuinely glad to have the opportunity to attend the Institute’s conference—and I knew I could expect a great deal.

From the very beginning, the conference struck a rare balance between intensity and ease. This was already evident in the opening Ralph Raico Memorial Lecture by Ryan McMaken, delivered under the telling title “(Classical) Liberalism Has Not Failed, and We Need It Now More Than Ever.” It was a well-chosen topic—timely and far from obvious. In a context of considerable conceptual confusion, the lecture made clear the distinction between a classical liberal worldview and what often passes for liberalism today, while underscoring that this confusion should not lead libertarians to abandon the distinctive legacy of classical liberalism.

Following the opening lecture, the conference continued in parallel sessions. The range of topics was broad, spanning both more theoretical work—developing core libertarian ideas and conceptions of liberty and justice—and more applied discussions, extending into areas such as party systems, entrepreneurship, family, and culture. Overall, the papers were of a high standard. Given the parallel format, each participant inevitably experienced only part of the program and would likely come away with their own ranking of what stood out. 

The conference featured not only a wide range of topics, but also a diverse group of participants—from those engaged in more strictly academic work to those shaped by practical experience or a less formal, though no less serious, engagement with libertarian ideas. This added a valuable dimension to the discussions, creating a productive exchange in which theoretical work was confronted with perspectives grounded in practice, often helping to bring certain questions into sharper focus for those working within an academic framework.

What stood out was the combination of strict time discipline and the intensity of discussion. Sessions were tightly run, but discussion was anything but symbolic—often intense and clearly taken seriously by participants. It did not end with the formal sessions, but continued naturally during breaks, meals, and shuttle rides between the hotel and the Institute.

Discussions were certainly continued at the reception, held in the elegant spaces of the Auburn University Hotel & Dixon Conference Center, which both closed the Libertarian Scholars Conference and opened the Austrian Economics Research Conference, with its sessions beginning the following morning. This overlap created an interesting dynamic, allowing for a broader exchange than might have been possible had the conferences been held separately.

As for the social dimension of the conference, there were many opportunities for networking, and it came easily and naturally, bringing together people from different parts of the world and across generations—from well-established figures in the field, including highly respected ones, to those only beginning to engage with libertarian thought. At the same time, the atmosphere was shaped not only by new encounters, but also by clearly visible, long-standing friendships and collaborations, giving the sense of a living community rather than a one-off event—something no doubt reinforced by the fact that such recurring gatherings take place across the broader Austro-libertarian community.

All in all, the conference was a success. The Mises Institute rose to the occasion, and so did the participants. From a professional standpoint, the conference was particularly strong, while at the same time working equally well as a social event. I suspect many participants left Auburn with the sense that it is both a place and an event worth returning to; I certainly did.