As co-chair of Workshop #72: ‘Blockchain and Constitutional Thought: Rethinking Legitimacy and Governance in a Digital World’—part of the 2026 World Congress of Constitutional Law organized by the International Association of Constitutional Law (IACL)—it is my pleasure to invite the academic and professional community to submit their abstracts for this significant global event. The Congress will be held from July 6 to 10, 2026, at the Universidad Externado de Colombia in Bogotá.”
Under the Congress’s general theme, “Sustainable Constitutionalism: Answers for a Changing World,” Workshop #72 explores how emerging technologies are reshaping the foundations of public law.
Special Elements of Workshop #72:
Bridging Traditions: The workshop serves as a bridge between traditional constitutional scholarship—focused on the rule of law, constitutional rights, and due process—and modern decentralized governance models.
New Normative Frameworks: We examine how blockchain establishes a new normative framework through transparent, immutable, and frictionless global networks.
Distributed Legitimacy: Participants will analyze polycentric systems where legitimacy derives from distributed authority and consensus rather than centralized hierarchies, drawing inspiration from projects like Bitcoin and Cardano.
Digital Justice & Legaltech: A core focus is placed on decentralized justice and blockchain-based dispute resolution (such as Kleros) as tools to enhance access to constitutional justice.
Innovative Questions: We invite contributions addressing whether constitutional aims can be expressed in code and how blockchain might institute a new separation of powers or safeguard foundational rights.
Submission Guidelines:
Deadline: Abstracts must be submitted by January 23, 2026.
Length: Between 300 and 500 words.
Languages: Submissions are welcome in English, Spanish, or French.
Details: Please include your institutional affiliation, a brief biography, and your contact email.
Submission Portal: All abstracts must be submitted via the official congress website: www.wccl2026.com.
We look forward to your interdisciplinary contributions to this vital dialogue on constitutional innovation in the digital age.
Sincerely,
Roberto Hung
Workshop Co-Chair ‘Blockchain and Constitutional Thought: Rethinking Legitimacy and Governance in a Digital World’
