New Authoritarianism and Democratic Resistance

This event is co-sponsored by The Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies

The once much-hailed success story of Turkey’s democracy as a “regional model” has been decidedly replaced by studies of its breakdown. With its ever-increasing centralization of power under a one-man regime, some might now see Turkey as a “global model” for a new authoritarianism.

Why has the response of North Atlantic democracies to the erosion of Turkey’s democracy been muted? Is Turkey’s policy of “hostage diplomacy” and offers of trade deals paying off? Can democracy still make a comeback in Turkey? What lessons can the global democratic public draw from Turkey’s struggle?

In this panel, academics from Turkey will explore Turkey’s new political reality, prospects for change, and the international context.