American Academy Lecture

The Road to Unfreedom: Democracy, Neofascism, and the Importance of Language

At this joint event with Intelligence Squared Germany, Timothy Snyder will address the dangers to democracy from deliberate manipulation of the media and the spread of disinformation by authoritarian governments and their supporters. Snyder will talk about the growing threats to democratic systems in Europe and the United States, including Russian interference in the 2016 US elections and manipulation of the media during the invasion of Ukraine. In particular, he will discuss how authoritarian leaders use language to delegitimize opposition. And crucially, how citizens can resist.