The Second Global Enlightenment Forum
9 May 2026, 8:45 am – 5:30 pm
Location: Senate House, University of London, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HU
Think tank: Adam Smith Institute
This event hosted by UK think tank the Adam Smith Institute aims to explore the heritage and impact of Enlightenment in the non-Western world.
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:
