Lessons for the Global Contest Between Autocracy and Democracy

The common wisdom that autocrats are prevailing in the global contest with democracy is simplistic. Yes, some still cling to power, but the dangers of autocratic rule have become glaringly apparent, their methods for retaining power are increasingly desperate, and the publics in their countries are repeatedly rejecting their rule. To give democracy a better chance, proponents should support it more consistently abroad and present a better model for democratic rule at home.

Join the UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy featuring the UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation’s Future of Democracy initiative on October 9, 2023, at 5 p.m. for a keynote address from Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch. A graduate of Yale Law School and Brown University, Roth has conducted numerous human rights investigative and advocacy missions around the world, meeting with dozens of heads of state and countless ministers. Roth is currently writing a book, Righting Wrongs, about the strategies used by Human Rights Watch to defend human rights. Beginning in September 2023, he will be the Charles and Marie Robertson Visiting Professor at the Princeton School for Public and International Affairs.