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

Yale historian Timothy Snyder on politics and language in the age of “Not-Even Fascism”

Publication 14 Jan 2019

At this joint event with Intelligence Squared Germany, Yale historian Timothy Snyder addressed the dangers to democracy from deliberate manipulation of the media and the spread of disinformation by authoritarian governments and their supporters. Snyder talked 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 discussed how authoritarian leaders use language to delegitimize opposition. And crucially, how citizens can resist.

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