Challenges to Democracy: Power, Protest and Identity
Free entry – Reserve your space here
Doors open 4.30pm
Debate: 5-6:30pm
Latest TV studio, Brighton, 14-17, Manchester St, Brighton

Panel discussion with
Karabekir Akkoyunlu, SOAS University of London
Thomas Lorman, University College London
Aleks Szczerbiak, University of Sussex
David Tal, University of Sussex
Moderated by
Ivor Gaber, University of Sussex
At the end of the Cold War, it seemed as though totalitarianism had finally been defeated, and liberal democracy had emerged victorious from the great ideological struggle of the 20th century. Today, democracy appears to be facing significant challenges, with many states that appeared to be making progress towards democratic governance a decade ago now experiencing a decline into authoritarianism. Examples include Hungary, Poland, Turkey, and most recently Israel. The challenges are not limited to developing countries but also affect the world’s most powerful democracies. We invite you to join us to discuss one of the most pressing issues of our time.
Karabekir Akkoyunlu is lecturer in the Politics of the Middle East.
His forthcoming book is Guardianship and Democracy in Iran and Turkey: Tutelary Consolidation, Popular Contestation (Edinburgh University Press). Currently his research agenda focuses on the limits of autorcatisation in countries undergoing democratic erosions.
Thomas Lorman, is lecturer in Central European History,
particularly Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, and have recently published a history of the Hungarian constitution, as well as a study of the Slovak People’s Party.
Aleks Szczerbiak is Professor of Politics.
His most recent book is Politicising the Communist Past: The Politics of Truth Revelation in Post-Communist Poland (Routledge 2018). He is currently writing a monograph on political parties and religion in post-communist Polish politics, and blogs regularly about the Polish political scene at https://wordpress.com/view/polishpoliticsblog.wordpress.com.
David Tal holds the Yossi Harel Chair in Modern Israel Studies.
His most recent book is The Making of an Alliance: The Origins and Development of the US-Israel Relationship (Cambridge University Press, 2021).
Ivor Gaber is Professor of Journalism at the University of Sussex. He is a broadcaster, writer, and media consultant.

The event is organised by The Sussex Weidenfeld Institute of Jewish Studies.
For further information, please contact Gideon Reuveni g.reuveni@sussex.ac.uk
