A Scholar's Guide to Resisting Democratic Backsliding and Autocratization
By
Philipp Markolin, PhD
Pulled from the oven just right. Trustworthy, fact-dense, deeply satisfying.
Summary
This article presents a handbook for scholars facing democratic backsliding and rising authoritarianism, particularly in the United States. It calls on academics to take action, build resilience, and collectively defend democracy, truth, and academic freedom. The piece outlines strategies for scholars to respond during periods of autocratization, encouraging reflection on personal values and the consequences of different coping mechanisms—whether acquiescing or resisting.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledThe Anti-Autocracy Handbook is a call to action, resilience, and collective defence of democracy, truth, and academic freedom in the face of mounting authoritarianism.
A consequential choice is currently being imposed on every single scholar in the US and many other countries.
In this handbook, we outline how scholars can respond during democratic backsliding and encourage reflection on personal values and the consequences of different coping strategies.
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