Research Cluster on Global Populism/Threats to Democracy Panel

Date: 

Thursday, October 4, 2018, 4:30pm to 6:15pm

Location: 

Minda de Gunzberg Center for European Studies, 27 Kirkland Street, Lower Level Conference Room

 "Challenges to Democracy in Big Middle Income Countries: Brazil, India, South Africa"

Speakers:

Frances Hagopian, Faculty Associate. Jorge Paulo Lemann Senior Lecturer on Government, Department of Government, Harvard University.

Tariq Thachil, Associate Professor of Political Science, Vanderbilt University.

Evan Lieberman, Total Professor of Political Science and Contemporary Africa, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Chair:

Daniel Ziblatt, Faculty Associate. Eaton Professor of the Science of Government, Department of Government, Harvard University.

Co-sponsored by the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies, Harvard University.

Contact:

Jessica Barnard
jbarnard@wcfia.harvard.edu

Description:

Over the last decade, developments in Russia, Turkey, Hungary, Poland, Thailand, Venezuela and elsewhere have raised concerns about a global democratic recession. Although the number of democracies in the world has remained stable, the crisis of Western liberal democracies and the rise of China and Russia suggest that storm clouds may be on the horizon. This panel looks at the state of democracy in three big countries: Brazil, India, and South Africa. In all three countries, democracy is well-established but challenged. Because all three countries are influential regional powers, the impact of democracy’s failure in any of them would be felt across the globe.