Freedom is a great moral and political ideal and a fundamental value of democratic constitutional states. Fundamental rights protect freedom vis-à-vis the state and grant claims to participation or benefits in case individuals are unable to realize their potential for freedom on their own. In their active dimension, however, fundamental rights also grant a right in participation, including democratic involvement. In order to understand the significance of freedom for the democratic constitutional state, it is not sufficient to conceive freedom as negative; for freedom does not only require defense against arbitrary interventions or dominance. Freedom also has a positive dimension. This freedom to do something was interpreted by Benjamin Constant as the "freedom of the ancients" and thus as illiberal and tentatively authoritarian. Isaiah Berlin’s famous verdict is also founded on this juxtaposition. However, if we conceptualize freedom as self-determination or self-government, then it can be understood as the individual’s capacity to set her own goals and to voluntarily assume responsibility. The workshop will address these issues on the basis of older and more recent contributions, discuss alternatives to purely negative concepts of freedom, and explore the importance of liberty for democratic constitutional states and citizens. The topic is also relevant with respect to contemporary challenges posed by expertocracy, populism, and “authoritarian democracy”, and by the demands of our social and ecological responsibility as citizens. 
Stephan.kirste@plus.ac.at, albericogentili@gmail.com