In an era defined by democratic backsliding, political polarization and rising authoritarianism, Karl Popper’s concept of the open society emerges not only as a philosophical anchor but also as a practical blueprint for institutional renewal. This article explores the enduring relevance of Popper’s ideals—critical rationalism, pluralism and transparency—in confronting today’s political challenges, from populism and performative politics to youth disenfranchisement and digital misinformation. Through an engagement with contemporary scholarship, including the works of Gerson, Ingrams, Ani and Okoye, Esfeld and Scott-Phillips, the article traces how modern democratic crises mirror the totalitarian threats that initially prompted Popper’s vision. Far from being a relic of mid-20th-century liberal thought, the open society offers a vital framework for democratic resilience in the face of institutional distrust and eroding civic engagement. The article argues that meaningful institutional reforms—such as participatory budgeting, citizens’ assemblies and algorithmic transparency—must be rooted in Popperian critical discourse. It further emphasizes the transformative role of youth agency, civic education and digital literacy in shaping an informed and engaged polity. Ultimately, this study underscores the urgency of renewing democratic deliberation by internalizing the open society not just as a political aspiration but as a lived institutional practice that adapts to complex, pluralistic societies.

Open society, democratic deliberation, critical rationalism, populism, institutional reform, Popper

Ani, C. K. C., & Okoye, U. M. (2021). Popper and youth participation in democracy in Africa: Perspectives on applying the dynamics of an information society. In O. T. Afisi (Ed.), Karl Popper and Africa: Knowledge, politics and development (pp. 109–116). Springer. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-74214-0_9

Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and education. Macmillan.

Draško, G. P., & Krstić, P. (2023). Empirical embodiment of critical rationalism: Deliberative theory and open society. https://rifdt.ifdt.bg.ac.rs/bitstream/handle/123456789/3104/EmpiricalEmbodimentOfCriticalRationalism.pdf?sequence=1

Esfeld, M. (2022). From the open society to the closed society: Reconsidering Popper on natural and social science. Futures, 137, 102920. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016328722000209

Gerson, G. (2023). The open society and the challenge of populism: Solution and problem. Contemporary Political Theory, 22(4), 529–551. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/s41296-022-00609-x

Gerson, G. (2024). Nature, history and politics in the open society. Journal of Political Ideologies, 29(3), 533–549. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13569317.2022.2153028

Habermas, J. (1984). The theory of communicative action (Vol. 1). Beacon Press.

Ingrams, A. (2023). Algorithms and the open society: New approaches to information, transparency, and accountability. In M. Hillebrandt, P. Leino-Sandberg, & I. Koivisto (Eds), (In)visible European government (pp. 152–170). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003257936-11/algorithms-open-society-alex-ingrams

Jaswal, A. (2024). The changing image of insurgency in Kashmir: From armed struggle to performative politics (Unpublished PhD Thesis). Stanfordshire University. https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=59d33a44782f17754eb23d7b09b32ae783f33dcb2bcebcf
daccb52736fbfb96cJmltdHM9MTc2NzgzMDQwMA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=4&fclid=
1d097ab0-1a5e-61b9-2766-6fa81e5e6f73&psq=Jaswal%2c+A.+(2021).+The+Chang
ing+Image+of+Insurgency+in+Kashmir%3a+From+Armed+Struggle+to+
Performative+Politics&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly9lcHJpbnRzLnN0YWZmcy
5hYy51ay84NTg4LzUvQU1BTiUyMEpBU1dBTC0lMjAxOTAyODI1MC0lMj
BQaEQlMjBTb2Npb2xvZ3klMjBhbmQlMjBJbnRlcm5hdGlvbmFsJTIwUmVsYXRpb25zJTIwVGhlc2lzLiUyMC5wZGY

López, C. (2024). The more democracy, the better? On whether democracy makes societies open. Social Sciences, 13(5), 261. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/13/5/261

Popper, K. R. (1945). The open society and its enemies. Routledge.

Popper, K. R. (1959). The logic of scientific discovery. Hutchinson.

Scott-Phillips, T. (2022). Human nature and the open society. PsyArXiv. https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/62951/1/9789633865903.pdf#page=30

Shearmur, J. (2014). Karl Popper and the idea of an open society. In G. G. C. Moore (Ed.), The open society and its enemies in East Asia (pp. 33–48). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315816784-2/karl-popper-idea-open-society-jeremy-shearmur