Over the past decade, illiberal powers have become emboldened and gained influence within the global arena. Leading authoritarian countries―including China, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela―have developed new tools and strategies to contain the spread of democracy and challenge the liberal international political order.
Meanwhile, the advanced democracies of Europe and the United States have retreated and failed to respond to the threat posed by the authoritarians. As undemocratic regimes become more assertive, they are working together to repress civil society while tightening their grip on cyberspace and expanding their reach in international media. These political changes have fostered the emergence of new counter-norms―such as the authoritarian subversion of credible election monitoring―that threaten to further erode the global standing of liberal democracy.
In Authoritarianism Goes Global, a distinguished group of contributors present fresh insights on the complicated issues surrounding the authoritarian resurgence and the implications of these systemic shifts for the international order. This collection of essays is critical for advancing our understanding of the emerging challenges to democratic development.
April 14: Watch the Book Launch
Tune in by livestream on Thursday, April 14 from 12:15–2:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time as Fred Hiatt of the Washington Post and William J. Dobson of National Public Radio (NPR) discuss the emerging authoritarian trends highlighted in the book with co-editors Christopher Walker and Marc F. Plattner. Follow the discussion on Twitter by using #AutocratsGoGlobal.
Edited by Larry Diamond, Marc F. Plattner, and Christopher Walker
Published by Johns Hopkins University Press
Media Mentions
- “Authoritarianism Goes Global” —The American Interest
- “Democracy in Retreat” —The Washington Post
- “Is Democracy in Decline?” —Democracy and Society Fall–Winter 2016 Issue
- “The West’s Failure of Imagination” —The Wall Street Journal
Order the Book (use promotional code HNAF to receive a 30% discount)
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