Democracy Talk #17 with Prof. Jennifer McCoy: How to defeat authoritarian forces

The U.S. is facing midterm elections. The main question is whether American voters will punish Donald Trump and the Republican Party by granting the Democrats control of the House of Representatives and potentially the Senate. Given the incumbents' attacks on democracy, corruption scandals and the deteriorating economic situation, one might expect a landslide victory for the opposition. However, the election will most likely be close. What lessons can the U.S. provide on how to defeat authoritarian forces? Are the Democrats right to focus solely on affordability? Would depolarizing strategies and a national narrative be useful? At our Democracy Talk on 22 October 2026, we will discuss these questions and others with Jennifer McCoy, Regents Professor Emerita of Political Science at Georgia State University, who is one of the world’s leading experts on democratic resilience and resistance. The discussion will also include insights from the FES study and the upcoming book that she co-wrote with Professor Murat Somer.
 

Register here.