"The Democratic Curse": Analysis of the Identity Crisis of Democracies
The scope and magnitude of the current backsliding in Western and non-Western democracies raise three questions addressed in this presentation: What are the root causes of democratic erosion? How the current crisis differs from previous ones? And what should be done to prevent or reverse illiberal and authoritarian trends?
Stevenson Trust, Social Sciences hub
Date: Tuesday 01 December 2026
Time: 18:00 - 19:30
Venue: The Humanities Lecture Theatre The Gilbert Scott Building University of Glasgow Glasgow G12 8QQ
Category: Public lectures, Social events, Academic events, Student events, Alumni events
Speaker: Ariane Chebel d’Appoloonia
The scope and magnitude of the current backsliding in Western and non-Western democracies raise three questions addressed in this presentation: What are the root causes of democratic erosion? How does the current crisis differ from previous ones? And what should be done to prevent or reverse illiberal and authoritarian trends? In answering these questions, Professor Ariane Chebel d’Appollonia (Rutgers University) analyses the interlocking impact of democratic backsliding and the identity crisis – both eroding the very notion of shared values and common good, promoting a political and ethnoracial polarisation of national identity, as well as fueling exclusionary practices detrimental to the democratic conception of the demos.