A quarter-century removed from the September 11 attacks, a new generation knows only the dread and despair that dominate the narrative of now. Authoritarian governance, climate collapse, and techno-dystopia recalibrate a reality once set on the promise of tomorrow. Human rights and democracy face unprecedented existential threats. Legal foundations fray under bombardment while illiberal forces celebrate cruelty. Nation-states retreat from cooperation with others, looking inward and backward for scapegoats and excuses.
What’s worse, the mechanics we have to build new futures have themselves been endangered and hacked. Local law enforcement chills free expression and violates the rights of assembly with military-grade gear, immigration enforcement is weaponized to punish political opposition, and terrorism statutes outlaw protest across continents. From heightened digital authoritarianism in East Asia to the suppression of civil society in parts of Africa, the criminalization of social movements across the Americas, and the tightening grip on media in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, threats to the basic freedoms of democracy are everywhere. Documentation could be deep-faked while malignant algorithms surveil and shape online communities. Reliable philanthropic resources are evaporating at the very moment when investment in movement infrastructure is so essential.
These are difficult times, but a shift is underway.
Amidst this contracting civic space, a powerful counter-narrative is emerging. From mural movements and punk protests to indigenous artistic revivals, from digital memorials and silent theater to TikTok activism and algorithmic subversion, social movements are redefining the very act of resistance and actively defending fundamental human rights in powerfully creative ways. These movements are at the forefront of protecting the rights to assembly, association, belief, opinion, free expression, and dissent – all indispensable pillars of a healthy democracy. In this hostile environment, artistic expression and digital technologies have not merely become modes of activism and advocacy; they are now urgent tools for preserving democratic space, directly challenging structural violence, and amplifying marginalized voices. This convening of social movement scholars and practitioners of human rights links directly to the defense of democracy as a core objective.
In this spirit, the Human Rights Center at the University of Dayton will convene the 2026 Social Practice of Human Rights (SPHR) conference to center this critical conjuncture. As the weight of disinformation, militarization, and belligerent politics bears down, communities are demonstrating remarkable adaptability. They are innovating, finding new ways to speak truth to power, to organize effective movements, and to reclaim public discourse. From the poignant street art that bears witness to state violence to the encrypted messaging apps that enable safe mobilization, the convergence of art and technology is fundamentally reshaping the architecture of protest and the defense of democratic ideals.
SPHR26 will take place on April 9-11 at the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio. #SPHR26 is planned as a hybrid event experience at this time. Virtual, as well as some in-person participation, is envisioned.
Interfaith Cincinnati
