The Cluster of Excellence SCRIPTS examines why liberal democracies around the world are increasingly being challenged – and what can strengthen their resilience.

Across the world, we are currently witnessing how authoritarian forces are increasingly challenging liberal democracies from within. Liberal democracy – the political framework that combines democratic majority rule with the protection of individual rights and freedoms through the rule of law, the separation of powers, and free elections – is facing growing pressure. The Berlin Cluster of Excellence Contestations of the Liberal Script (SCRIPTS), now in its second funding phase, is dedicated to studying these challenges to liberal societies and democracies from a scholarly perspective.

At the center of research is the concept of the liberal script. As Prof. Tanja Börzel, SCRIPS spokesperson, explains, “A script is like an instruction manual for how societies are organized. It defines, for example, who belongs to a political community, how conflicts are resolved, and how resources are distributed.” The liberal script is based on the relationship between individual and collective self-determination and reflects the core principles of liberal democracy. Alternative scripts include fascism, communism, authoritarianism, and religious fundamentalism.

The first funding phase focused on identifying where challenges to the liberal script come from and why they arise. According to Börzel, conflict and criticism are not only normal within the liberal script but essential to it: “The liberal script depends on criticism and contestation in order to legitimize itself and continue evolving.” This includes internal criticism, for example from those who argue that liberal societies are not inclusive enough and continue to disadvantage minorities based on sexual orientation or background.

“The liberal script is, in fact, quite resilient”

“What we are seeing now, however, is that these contestations are becoming more radical and increasingly directed against the liberal script itself”, the political scientist explains. Multiple crises have strengthened the perception among citizens that the liberal script is no longer delivering on core promises such as equal rights for all. Feelings of disappointment, insecurity, and dissatisfaction are then mobilized by populist parties and movements that fundamentally question liberal democracy — both in public discourse and at the ballot box.

The second funding phase, which has recently begun, now examines what these intensifying contestations mean for the liberal script and how resilient liberal democracies actually are. “Although we are already observing democratic backsliding – the gradual erosion of democratic institutions – in some countries, no liberal democracy has permanently collapsed so far,” says Börzel. “Countries such as Poland and Hungary, where democracy had seriously declined, have also shown signs of recovery. That suggests the liberal script is, in fact, quite resilient.”

According to Börzel, one important indicator of the strength of a liberal script is academic freedom. Science and scholarship play a central role in safeguarding individual freedom and democratic self-determination by fostering critical thinking and validating facts. “Enemies of the liberal script always attack freedom – whether it is individual freedom, freedom of the press, or academic freedom,” she says. In her view, when academic freedom declines, other liberal principles tend to erode as well.

Since 2019, SCRIPTS has been funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) through Germany’s Excellence Strategy. The cluster is based at Freie Universität Berlin and brings together partner institutions including Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Hertie School, Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung, Centre for East European and International Studies, the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, and 20 international partners. The cluster also collaborates with institutions and actors from politics, culture, and civil society.

Event recommendation:

How do geopolitical tensions affect international cooperation in science? And how can research continue to move forward when science itself is increasingly under pressure? These questions are at the heart of the panel “Science in a Fragmenting World: Rethinking Internationalization”, taking place as part of the International Staff Training Week at Freie Universität Berlin.

The panel brings together perspectives from academia and practice to discuss how research institutions can navigate the tensions between openness and political constraints. It is organised by the Cluster of Excellence SCRIPTS and the Berlin Center for Global Engagement (BCGE) of the Berlin University Alliance. The discussion will be moderated by Tanja Börzel, with panelists including Han Cheng, Harriet Njoki Mboce, and Lora Viola.

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