Stevenson Trust Lecture with David Barker

How “America” Dies (or Doesn’t): Democratic Backsliding in the United States

Perhaps the most dramatic—and alarming—example of democratic backsliding is occurring in the United States. Cratering trust, crippling polarisation, crumbling civil liberties and corroding social capital are diminishing electoral competition, empowering executive overreach (including internationally), erasing civic norms and inciting political violence. In this lecture, Professor David Barker (American University, Washington, D.C.) dissects these trends and diagnoses the prospects for recovery on the post-Trump horizon.

Stevenson Lecture series: Could it happen here? Democratic Backsliding Around the Globe

In the Autumn 2026 lecture series, we will explore what democratic backsliding is, what it looks like in other established democracies and what it would look like in the United Kingdom. Join us in-person or on-line as we welcome leading scholars to the University of Glasgow to help us understand how democratic institutions are eroding and what it means for people in the UK.In the Spring of 2027, we will turn to examining ways we can be involved in our democratic institutions and processes to help secure democracy in the UK.

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