Lessons from Democracies at Risk: A Global Perspective

The United States is not the only country where democracy is vulnerable. The forces of polarization, populism, and autocracy have provoked deep conflict and democratic backsliding across the globe in recent years. Countries such as Venezuela, Turkey, Hungary, and Russia that once seemed to be on the road to democratization have reversed course, with often tragic and devastating consequences. How does the United States fit into this global pattern? What lessons does a global perspective hold for the challenges of democratic vulnerability in the United States? And what have been the most effective sources of resilience in the global struggle for democracy?
On March 17th, 2022, the AAPSS and partners hosted a discussion featuring some of the nation’s leading experts on global democratic vulnerability and resilience and what it might mean for American democracy.
Moderator:
Zack Beauchamp (Vox)
Panelists:
Jennifer McCoy (Georgia State University)
Cas Mudde (University of Georgia)
Ken Roberts (Cornell University)
This event was the second in a webinar series, Democracy in the Balance: Vulnerability, Resilience, and Reform, sponsored by the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies, the American Academy of Political and Social Science, and the American Democracy Collaborative. These three panels will assess the state of American democracy and evaluate prospects for its reform and renewal, based on the latest evidence and insights from political and social science.