Library

The Allure of the Illiberal

In countries around the world, voters have recently rallied around leaders who embrace an authoritarian, nationalistic and separatist worldview and curtail civil freedoms, independent institutions and an open media. What is the allure?

The Beginning of the End?

As people around the world ascribe less

importance to living in a democracy, what can

Western liberal democracies do to restore their

own appeal?

What is the Business of Business?

Back in the 1970s, Milton Friedman wrote in The

Times that “the business of business is business.”

In a chaotic and hyperconnected world, does

this still ring true? Where do profit and social

responsibility intersect?

Democracy and the Law

“Law should govern,” declared Aristotle,

proclaiming a fundamental principle of democratic

rule now under threat as illiberal leaders assail

the independence of the courts. What is the

response? What is the role of transnational legal

bodies?

Migrants at the Gate

Millions of people fleeing war, hunger and danger

have come to be perceived by many as a threat.

How have some democracies dealt with this

challenge?

When Technology Collides with Citizenship

Rapid advances in social media, A.I., robotics and other technological innovations have disrupted all facets of society, government and business, for better and for worse. How can these enormous forces be harnessed, and their dangers managed? What is the role of regulation — if any?

Bridging the Generational Gap

The political engagement of women, minorities and young people continues to lag in many democracies, but their participation is integral to the resilience of democratic institutions. In an interactive session featuring student representatives from the American College of Greece and the Global Liberal Arts Alliance, we explore why, and uncover possible solutions and strategies for leaders and policy makers.

What is Our Human Obligation?

As political, economic and social crises test the

underlying foundations of liberal democratic

societies, can art and other forms of creative

expression help to inspire social and political

engagement?

Partisan Dealignment and the Personalization of Politics in West European Parliamentary Democracies, 1961-2016

This article examines the relationship between partisan dealignment and the “personalization of politics” and looks into the “claim that leader effects on voting behaviour are increasing across time” (Garzia, Ferreira da Silva, De Angelis, 2018).

Why Do Authoritarian Leaders Appeal Today?

This piece examines the contemporary influence of authoritarian leaders and demagogues and how "strongmen" take power at times of anxiety and vulnerability.