A highlight from independent watchdog organization Freedom House’s recent forum titled, “Countering Modern Authoritarianism” was a fascinating forum discussion on “Modern Authoritarianism and the Struggle For Democracy” featuring panelists Sarah Margon, Maria J. Stephan and Christopher Walker. The video is highly recommended viewing.

The three joined in a great conversation moderated by Robert Herman, Senior Advisor for Policy at Freedom House. Margon is the Washington Director at Human Rights Watch, Stephan is a Senior Advisor at the U.S. Institute of Peace, and Walker is Vice President for Studies and Analysis at the National Endowment for Democracy. Here is the forum description from the event invite:

Around the globe, democratic political systems and values are under threat from authoritarian states seeking to stifle dissent at home and project influence internationally. Yet people who aspire to live in free societies continue to assert their fundamental freedoms and to push back against both democratic erosion and aggressive despotism. The Mark Palmer Forum for the Advancement of Democracy will examine the challenge posed by modern authoritarianism and how governments and activists may overcome it.

The specific panel featured in the video below is also described in the invite as:

Modern authoritarianism is distinguished by its unprecedented global reach, capacity for innovation, increasingly sophisticated use of soft power, and its highly collaborative nature. The authoritarian surge is ever more formidable as democracies contend with nativism and doubts about democracy’s ability to deliver economic security. What are effective policies and strategies to overcome these threats to democratic societies?

The video is about 70 minutes. Take a look: