This talk will provide the latest trends for democracy and autocracy in the world and across regions, based on the latest Democracy Report from the V-Dem Institute. Among other things, the speakers will show evidence that the wave of autocratization is accelerating, engulfing 43% of the world population; that the number of closed autocracies now surpasses that of liberal democracy for the first time since 1995; and that autocratization often continues after breakdowns, taking countries further into more harsh dictatorships. Rising polarization and disinformation, growing threats on freedom of expression, coupled with shifting global interdependencies on global trade and energy sources make for a worrying picture. At the same time, the talk will show that a record number of eight countries have reversed their downward trends over the past 20 years and that mobilization, popular protests, judicial autonomy, and critical elections are some of the elements uniting these cases of democracy “bouncing back.” These development have implications for both and research and policy.
Professor Staffan I. Lindberg: Director of the V-Dem Institute at University of Gothenburg; Principal Investigator of Varieties of Democracy; Wallenberg Academy Fellow,author of Democracy and Elections in Africa (JHUP 2006), co-author of Varieties of Democracy (CUP 2020), Why Democracies Develop and Decline (CUP 2022) and over 60 academic articles. Lindberg has extensive experience as consultant and advisor to international organizations.
Dr. Evie Papada: Research and Policy Analyst at the V-Dem Institute. She holds a PhD in Human Geography (University of Loughborough, UK) and has published widely on EU asylum and immigration policies. Evie has worked in research and policy related roles, within and outside higher education, including international organizations within the broader field of human rights (UNHCR, Amnesty International, MSF.
Recording available here. Report available here.