ThoughtGallery.org > The State(s) We’re In: A New Age of Transatlantic Relations — Threats to Democracy

The State(s) We’re In: A New Age of Transatlantic Relations — Threats to Democracy

When Francis Fukuyama wrote about “the end of history” after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War, he contended that Western liberal democracy is the “final form of human government.” Yet by all accounts, the past few years have witnessed a global backlash against liberal democracy. Most alarmingly, Western liberal democracies are facing threats from within. In formerly communist countries in Eastern Europe such as Poland and Hungary, the current administrations have ridden a wave of populist support and used their power to undermine basic tenets of liberal democracy. To the south, Turkey has slid towards authoritarianism as the free press and political opposition are stifled. Yet even in Western Europe, once considered the stronghold of liberal democracy, recent elections in the Netherlands, France, Austria, and Italy have demonstrated growing support for right-wing populist parties. In Germany, the far-right Alternative for Germany now occupies 92 seats in the Bundestag, making them the third largest party and the primary voice of opposition. And on the other side of the Atlantic, the current U.S. administration is violating long-held norms, revealing just how fragile democracy is.

As we enter this new chapter in history, it is necessary to pause and reflect on the causes of these developments. What underlying factors have precipitated these developments in the past two years? To what extent are the former governments of liberal democratic countries responsible for the current backlash? Looking forward, what consequences will these anti-democratic domestic developments have for international institutions and cooperation, particularly the transatlantic relationship? And what, if anything, can concerned individuals do to prevent the further erosion of democracy?

To help answer these questions and gain a better understanding of the upheavals we are currently witnessing, Deutsches Haus at NYU has invited three esteemed guests who will offer U.S. and German perspectives on the ways in which democracy is under threat. Yascha Mounk, Lecturer on Political Theory at Harvard and the author of the critically acclaimed The People vs. Democracy: Why Our Freedom is in Danger and How to Save It, will join Christine Landfried, Senior Fellow at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin, in a conversation moderated by Christian Martin, the Max Weber Chair in German and European Studies at New York University.

This discussion will be the first event of The State(s) We’re In: A New Age of Transatlantic Relations, a series of six talks presented by Deutsches Haus at NYU that will address an array of pressing issues: threats to democracy; economic inequality and populism; migration and art; civil society and political engagement; climate change and activism; and educational policy and academic freedom.

Events at Deutsches Haus are free and open to the public. If you would like to attend this event, please send an email to [email protected]. As space at Deutsches Haus is limited, please arrive ten minutes prior to the event to ensure you get a good seat. Thank you!

The State(s) We’re In: A New Age of Transatlantic Relations is supported by the Transatlantic Program of the Federal Republic of Germany with funds from the European Recovery Program (ERP) of the Federal Ministry for Economy and Energy (BMWi).











When: Wed., Apr. 18, 2018 at 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Where: Deutsches Haus at NYU
42 Washington Mews
212-998-8660
Price: Free
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When Francis Fukuyama wrote about “the end of history” after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War, he contended that Western liberal democracy is the “final form of human government.” Yet by all accounts, the past few years have witnessed a global backlash against liberal democracy. Most alarmingly, Western liberal democracies are facing threats from within. In formerly communist countries in Eastern Europe such as Poland and Hungary, the current administrations have ridden a wave of populist support and used their power to undermine basic tenets of liberal democracy. To the south, Turkey has slid towards authoritarianism as the free press and political opposition are stifled. Yet even in Western Europe, once considered the stronghold of liberal democracy, recent elections in the Netherlands, France, Austria, and Italy have demonstrated growing support for right-wing populist parties. In Germany, the far-right Alternative for Germany now occupies 92 seats in the Bundestag, making them the third largest party and the primary voice of opposition. And on the other side of the Atlantic, the current U.S. administration is violating long-held norms, revealing just how fragile democracy is.

As we enter this new chapter in history, it is necessary to pause and reflect on the causes of these developments. What underlying factors have precipitated these developments in the past two years? To what extent are the former governments of liberal democratic countries responsible for the current backlash? Looking forward, what consequences will these anti-democratic domestic developments have for international institutions and cooperation, particularly the transatlantic relationship? And what, if anything, can concerned individuals do to prevent the further erosion of democracy?

To help answer these questions and gain a better understanding of the upheavals we are currently witnessing, Deutsches Haus at NYU has invited three esteemed guests who will offer U.S. and German perspectives on the ways in which democracy is under threat. Yascha Mounk, Lecturer on Political Theory at Harvard and the author of the critically acclaimed The People vs. Democracy: Why Our Freedom is in Danger and How to Save It, will join Christine Landfried, Senior Fellow at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin, in a conversation moderated by Christian Martin, the Max Weber Chair in German and European Studies at New York University.

This discussion will be the first event of The State(s) We’re In: A New Age of Transatlantic Relations, a series of six talks presented by Deutsches Haus at NYU that will address an array of pressing issues: threats to democracy; economic inequality and populism; migration and art; civil society and political engagement; climate change and activism; and educational policy and academic freedom.

Events at Deutsches Haus are free and open to the public. If you would like to attend this event, please send an email to [email protected]. As space at Deutsches Haus is limited, please arrive ten minutes prior to the event to ensure you get a good seat. Thank you!

The State(s) We’re In: A New Age of Transatlantic Relations is supported by the Transatlantic Program of the Federal Republic of Germany with funds from the European Recovery Program (ERP) of the Federal Ministry for Economy and Energy (BMWi).

Buy tickets/get more info now