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strengthening democratic resilience during the covid-19 pandemic
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| The International Forum for Democratic Studies published two reports in the “Sharp Power and Democratic Resilience” series, which systematically analyzes the ways in which leading authoritarian regimes manipulate, distort, and shape the political landscape and censor independent expression within open societies.
“The New Invisible Hand: Authoritarian Corrosive Capital and the Repurposing of Democracy,” written by Martin Hála, explores the issue of capital flows from authoritarian regimes that undermine democratic processes and institutions in the recipient countries, and outlines what an interconnected, interdisciplinary response from civil society could look like.
In “Compromising the Knowledge Economy: Authoritarian Challenges to Independent Intellectual Inquiry,” Glenn Tiffert analyzes the compromising effects of sharp power on the crucial civil society institutions that democratic societies depend upon for knowledge production, including universities, publishers, and think tanks. |
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“An effective defense against corrosive capital in democratic societies depends on many factors, but it ultimately derives from the resilience of the political system and civil society.”
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Jamie Fly discusses the mounting pressures facing independent media outlets around the world amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, ranging from intensifying economic constraints to increased competition from illiberal and authoritarian actors, in “The Changing Global Media Landscape.” |
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On June 10, the International Forum held a public webinar on how today’s technologies enable political actors to manipulate the information ecosystem at scale and with great speed. The event, entitled “Lie Machines: How Disinformation Threatens Democracy and How to Save It,” featured Philip Howard, Laura Rosenberger, Daniel Arnaudo, and Shanthi Kalathil. |
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While attention focuses on responding to COVID-19, kleptocratic financial flows will likely receive less scrutiny. Mary Beth Goodman, John Heathershaw, J.R. Mailey, and Jodi Vittori answer a Big Question about how the COVID-19 pandemic will affect trends in transnational kleptocracy. |
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In “Beijing’s Mask Diplomacy and Power Play in Europe,” Lucrezia Poggetti discusses the evolving dynamics of Beijing’s influence activities in the European Union in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as how various European audiences have reacted to China’s “mask diplomacy.” |
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“Intellectual freedom flourishes only so long as we sustain and invest in the ecosystem that supports it, and that ecosystem is prone to exploitation and despoilment by those with incompatible agendas.”
MORE FROM THE FORUM:
- The Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program invites applications for fellowships in 2021-2022. Dedicated to international exchange, the program enables democracy scholars and practitioners to conduct independent projects while in residence in Washington, D.C. The deadline to apply is October 1, 2020.
- The Journal of Democracy published its April 2020 issue, in which contributors review the prospects for opposition parties as they confront governing populists around the world.
- The spread of COVID-19 is mirrored by the spread of mis- and disinformation online. In a new Big Question, Cédric Alviani, Graham Brookie, Sarah Cook, Joan Donovan, Nina Jankowicz, and Peter Kreko observe what COVID-19 reveals about the global information environment in times of crisis.
- COVID-19 has created a battle of narratives between governments seeking to alter how communities understand the pandemic. In a Q&A entitled “Mis- and Disinformation in a Time of Pandemic,” Aimee Rinehart considers how stakeholders in the information space can respond to misleading information related to the pandemic.
- In a recent Q&A, Drew Sullivan, co-founder of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, considers how COVID-19 will affect networked journalism and transnational kleptocracy: “How COVID-19 Will Impact Transnational Kleptocracy and Independent Media.”
- Explaining “Beijing’s Viral Disinformation Activities,” Jessica Brandt draws on her analysis of narratives and topics promoted by Russian and Chinese government officials and state-funded media to discuss the Chinese government’s disinformation activities amidst the COVID-19 crisis.
- In “Why Disinformation Targeting Women Undermines Democratic Institutions,” Lucina di Meco explains how disinformation targeting women in politics limits the political and electoral participation of a significant portion of the population and weakens democratic institutions.
- NED Vice President for Studies and Analysis Christopher Walker spoke at a conference organized by the Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights and the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights entitled “China at a Crossroads, Standing Up for Human Rights During COVID-19.”
- International Forum Senior Director Shanthi Kalathil discussed the ways in which many democratically elected leaders have taken extreme, and even undemocratic, measures in response to the COVID-19 crisis, during a Pacific Council on International Policy event entitled “Democracies in Times of Crisis.”
- Christopher Walker spoke with Visegrad Insight on how sharp power poses challenges to democratic integrity and the information space in a new interview: “Wikipedia as a Battlefield: Democracies Have to Defend the Information Space in a Global Struggle for Power.“
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