2022

Why Democracies Fail

“Why Democracies Fail,” the theme of the 2022 Symposium on Democracy, prompted a broad exploration of the challenges entailed in sustaining democracy, freedom and human rights in the United States and internationally. Some topics considered in relation to this theme included: free and fair elections; the role of education in preparing citizens to participate in the democratic process; declining public trust of institutions; women and minorities being disenfranchised and how they are able to participate.

Schedule

TOM Talks Hosted by the Washington Fellows

February 22, 2022 @ 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Allen Ballroom, Rossin Campus Center

American Music Abroad Program Presents: Laurin Talese

February 22, 2022 @ 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Olin Theater

The Fall of Democracy in Afghanistan: First-Hand Perspectives

Shaqaiq Birashk and Kerry McBride

February 23, 2022 @ 9:00 am - 10:00 am
James David Ross Family Recreation Center

Failed Democracies: Latin America at a Tipping Point

February 23, 2022 @ 10:30 am - 11:30 am
Howard J Burnett Center

Fixing Injustices Through Intersectionality

February 23, 2022 @ 10:30 am - 11:30 am
Howard J Burnett Center

Conflict & Resolution Studies Panel

February 23, 2022 @ 10:30 am - 11:30 am
Howard J Burnett Center

Only so Free: Religious Rhetoric and the American Democracy in Crisis

February 23, 2022 @ 10:30 am - 11:30 am
Howard J Burnett Center

Tolerating the Enemy Within: The Normalization of Mob Violence

Fred L. Johnson III, Ph.D.

February 23, 2022 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
James David Ross Family Recreation Center

The History of Democratic Failures: How Political Extremes Succeed When Democracy Fails

February 23, 2022 @ 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Howard J Burnett Center

Revolutionary Disagreements

February 23, 2022 @ 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Howard J Burnett Center

Conflict & Resolution Studies Panel

February 23, 2022 @ 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Howard J Burnett Center

Rising Concerns of Tennis Star Peng Shuai and the Olympics

February 23, 2022 @ 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Howard J Burnett Center

Global Threats to Democracy

Nicole Bibbins Sedaca

February 23, 2022 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Allen Ballroom, Rossin Campus Center

Speakers

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Fred L. Johnson III, Ph.D.

MSB: MBA Reunion Welcome Reception

Nicole Bibbins Sedaca

S Birashk

Shaqaiq Birashk

Kerry MicBride

Kerry McBride

Video Playlist

Photo Gallery

TOM Talks

Reading List

Articles in Periodicals and Journals

Afghanistan

Democracy Challenged

International

Pandemic

Technology

Selected Books

Democracy Challenged

  • How Democracy Ends (2018) by David Runciman, Professor of Politics, University of Cambridge
  • The People Versus Democracy: Why Our Freedom is In Danger & How to Save It (2018) by Yascha Mounk, writer for Foreign Affairs and The Atlantic, and Associate Professor of Practice at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies.
  • How Democracies Die (2018) by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, political scientists at Harvard University.

History of Democracy

  • Mortal Republic: How Rome Fell into Tyranny (2018) by Edward J. Watts, Professor of History, University of California, San Diego

International

  • The Failure of the Arab Spring (2016) by Khalifa A. Alfadhel, Assistant Professor of International Law at the University of Bahrain.
  • Into The Hands of The Soldiers: Freedom and Chaos in Egypt and The Middle East (2019) by David Kirkpatrick, reporter for The New York Times.

Political Systems

  • The Demon in Democracy: Totalitarian Temptations in Free Societies (2016) by Ryszard Legutko, politician in Poland and Professor of Political Science at Jagiellonian University in Kraków.