Addressing the challenges facing democracy today
Raghu Rai. Local commuters at Church Gate railway station. Mumbai. 1995
Around the world, democracies confront serious challenges, old and new.
These range from enduring challenges, such as enhancing civic participation, political representation and democratic accountability, to confronting the ramifications of digital technologies, rising social inequalities and shifting power relations in the evolving international order. The Jarislowsky Democracy Chair pursues critical research and collaborative partnerships that advance public understanding and explore practical innovations to meet these imperatives.
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What’s New
18 December 2025
NEW PODCAST! The Fight for Global Human Rights with Ketty Nivyabandi
Host Sanjay Ruparelia speaks with Ketty Nivyabandi, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada, about the global state of human rights amid rising authoritarianism, conflict, and democratic erosion. Their conversation examines the roots of today’s human rights crises and explores how international law, civil society, and citizen action are being tested by wars in Gaza and Sudan, growing gender-based repression, the rollback of migrant and refugee protections, and the escalating consequences of climate change. They also discuss the strategies human rights advocates use to confront power and mobilize accountability in an increasingly volatile world.
29 April 2026
UPCOMING LECTURE! Federico Finchelstein: Fascism at the Gates
Historian and author Federico Finchelstein discusses one of the most urgent questions of our time: how do democracies die from within?
As authoritarian movements gain strength across continents, democratic institutions face unprecedented assault. Wannabe fascists weaponize misinformation, dehumanize opponents and minorities, normalize political violence, and test the limits of legal restraint, all while claiming democratic legitimacy. The line between populist authoritarianism and full fascism grows thinner as these leaders push toward the final pillar: the total suppression of free elections and democratic opposition.
Drawing on comparative analysis spanning Europe, Latin America, Asia, and North America, Finchelstein offers crucial insights into understanding, and stopping, the greatest threat facing democratic societies worldwide.