Fourth International Conference of Scuola Democratica
September 1-4, 2026, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Italy
The Conference is dedicated to the memory of the at least 20,000 children killed in the Gaza Strip by the Israeli military since 7 October 2023,
and to the 38 children killed in Israel during the Hamas-led terrorist attacks of 7 October 2023.
For them, there was no democracy — and there will be no education.
Our vision
The Fourth International Conference of the journal Scuola Democratica is devoted to examining the vital interplay between learning and democracy—two essential pillars for building societies that are just, inclusive, and sustainable. The theme Learning for Democracy/Democracy for Learning not only reaffirms the enduring significance of democratic values but also calls for their critical rethinking and their concrete realization in everyday educational and social practices. In a global landscape marked by democratic backsliding, widening inequalities, and accelerated digital transformation, it has become imperative to reconsider how education and democracy can be reconnected to cultivate conscious, critical, and actively engaged citizens. The Conference brings together Italian and international scholars and researchers in a broad, multidisciplinary conversation aimed at reimagining education and training as instruments of emancipation and as living practices of democratic citizenship—rooted in the present, yet responsibly oriented toward the future.
With this edition, Scuola Democratica aspires to confirm and exceed the success of its First International Conference (2019), its Second International Conference (2021), and its Third International Conference (2024).
Scuola Democratica first appeared in Italy in the 1970s, created to support teachers engaged in pedagogical experimentation and in debates on educational policy. Today, Scuola Democratica is an international journal, yet it keeps its Italian name—one to which we remain attached. Since 2010, the subtitle Learning for Democracy has accompanied the journal, chosen by its founder to highlight the wide and complex range of issues the journal has continuously explored and expanded over the years.
After fifteen years, it is now time to bring that subtitle to the forefront, to use it as the guiding theme of our Fourth International Conference—Learning for Democracy / Democracy for Learning—the compass that has, in fact, steered the life of the journal throughout its recent history.
When & where
The Conference will be held entirely in-person at University “Sapienza” of Rome (Italy), September 1-2-3-4, 2026.
The official language of the event will be English, with multi-lingual options for oral presentation.
The current phase
The Call for Abstracts of the Fourth International Conference of Scuola Democratica is now open. 🙂
We invite scholars, researchers, and practitioners to submit abstract proposals to one of the 150+ panels addressing the conference themes.
We look forward to receiving your abstract proposal!
Dates & deadlines
Call for panels: from October 15, 2025 to December 7, 2025- Call for abstracts: from December 20, 2025 to February 28, 2026
- Notification of abstract acceptance: March 15, 2026
- Registration · Early bird: from March 16, 2026, to April 20, 2026
- Registration · Late fee: from April 21, 2026 to May 10, 2026
- Conference: September 1-2-3-4, 2026
The conference will take place at University “Sapienza” of Rome, Italy.
Promoter & partners
Resources
→ Contact us at our e-mail address: sdconference2021@scuolademocratica-conference.net
→ Follow our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/1stsdconf