The Second Global Enlightenment Forum
Saturday, 9th May 2026
2026 marks 250 years since 1776, an inflection point in the intellectual history of classical liberalism and Enlightenment thought. The Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence, and Adam Smith published his famous Wealth of Nations.
As such, the Second Global Enlightenment Forum aims to explore the heritage and impact of Enlightenment in the non-Western world, specifically North America, North Africa, and the Middle East.
As modern academia continues to discover the global roots that found some of history's most important philosophical movements, we wish to tease apart the intellectual heritage and impact of the Enlightenment vis-à-vis its other regions. This spans the breadth and depth of intellectual canon: philosophy, literature, science, history, economics and politics will be discussed.
To help us discuss, we have a line-up of esteemed thinkers to give presentations and talks that educate, direct and stimulate discussion. They will be presenting new research of primary sources and reorienting our understanding of the Enlightenment through new frames of thinking:
[Keynote] Professor Fitzroy Morrissey (Abdullah Saleh Fellow and Tutor in Arabic; Associate Professor of Islamic Studies and Law, University of Oxford), on The Arab Enlightenment and the Renewal of Islam
Dr Richard Johnson (Senior Lecturer in US Politics & Policy, Queen Mary, University of London), on The Origins and Meaning of the Declaration of Independence
Dr Elisabeth Drayson (Lorna Close Fellow, University of Cambridge), on A debt disavowed: the hidden Islamic roots of the European Enlightenment
Professor Eric Chaney (Associate Professor of Economic History, University of Oxford), on Enlightenment Lost? Religion and the Rise and Fall of Islamic Science
Professor Nouh El Harmouzi (Professor of Economics, Ibn Tofaïl University; Director of the Arab Centre for Research), Topic to be announced shortly
Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from, question and network with the speakers of the Forum as well as the attendees, who will represent multidisciplinary backgrounds ranging from academia and research to journalism, business and politics.
The Forum is free to attend and breakfast, lunch and frequent catered breaks (tea, coffee, biscuits, pastries and cakes) are provided.
The Forum is hosted in the historic Senate House of the University of London. For more information about the venue, see here: https://www.london.ac.uk/about/history/history-senate-house
Register for attendance by clicking the button below. Attendance is upon a confirmation basis; once you have been reviewed and accepted, you will receive an email confirming your attendance.