Authoritarian Currents in American Democracy: Historical Lessons and Present Risks

The Tanner Lecture Series on Ethics, Citizenship & Public Responsibility will host a discussion on this important topic. 

What can America’s past teach us about the threats facing democracy today? In this conversation, Jamelle Bouie from the New York Times and Robert Mickey from the University of Michigan, will explore how authoritarian currents have emerged throughout U.S. history, how institutions and movements have responded, and what those lessons mean for our present moment. From struggles over race and representation to the erosion of democratic norms, the panel will grapple with the risks ahead and the possibilities for renewal.

The panel will be moderated by Chris Faricy, director of the Campbell Public Affairs Institute.

Jamelle Bouie’s political instincts provide audiences with unique insight on the past, present, and future of our national politics, policy, and the state of race relations. As he did while writing for Slate and the Daily Beast, Jamelle shares eye-opening perspectives on issues concerning the issues at play in America today. He has appeared on CBS’s Face the Nation, and his writings have appeared in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, TIME, and The New Yorker.

Professor Robert Mickey’s undergraduate courses concern American politics, often in cross-national perspective. He won the Department’s Tronstein Prize for outstanding undergraduate teaching in 2019, was named an Honored Instructor by the office of Living Learning Programs in 2018 and was nominated for the University’s Golden Apple Award for best lecturer in 2017 and 2021.

This lecture will be recorded and available for viewing soon after the event takes place. Seating is open to the general public and registration is recommended. There will be a reception following the lecture.