The Laboratory for Global Social and Political Thought aims to foster sustained, interdisciplinary engagement with social and political ideas and practices across diverse cultural and intellectual traditions. It draws on a variety of disciplinary approaches that critically expand the Western canon by incorporating non-Western traditions—such as Chinese, Islamic, Indian, and Latin American thought—into the study of political and social theory and philosophy. This includes, but is not limited to, the fields of comparative political theory, cross-cultural philosophy, and global social theory. By placing distinct traditions in dialogue, the Lab seeks to bridge theoretical, cultural, and disciplinary divides and to expose students and faculty to a broader range of perspectives, both contemporary and historical.
During the 2025–2026 academic year, the Lab pursued its mission through a guest lecture series and the international conference “Challenges to Democratic Thought and Practice in Global Perspective,” which was held at Duke Kunshan University from May 1 to May 3, 2026. The conference brought together scholars working on democratic theory, Confucian political thought, Islamic political thought, and the history of political institutions.
