Defending Democracy in an Age of Sharp Power

Authoritarian regimes are using sharp power to undermine democracies from within by weaponizing universities, institutions, media, technology, and entertainment industries. This book explores how autocrats are attempting to erode the pillars of democratic societies and offers an urgent message for anyone concerned with the defense of democracy in the twenty-first century.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 232 pages
Publication date: 25 July 2023
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press

The world's dictators are no longer content with shoring up control over their own populations; they are now exploiting the openness of the free world to spread disinformation, sow discord, and suppress dissent. In Defending Democracy in an Age of Sharp Power, editors William J. Dobson, Tarek Masoud, and Christopher Walker bring together leading analysts to explain how the world's authoritarians are attempting to erode the pillars of democratic societies—and what we can do about it.

Popular media, entertainment industries, universities, the tech world, and even critical political institutions are being manipulated by dictators who advance their regimes' interests by weakening democracies from within. Autocrats' use of sharp power constitutes one of the gravest threats to liberal, representative government today. The optimistic, early twenty-first-century narrative of how globalization, the spread of the internet, and the rise of social media would lead to liberalization everywhere is now giving way to the realization that these same forces provide inroads to those wishing to snuff out democracy at the source. And while autocrats can do much to wall their societies off from democratic and liberal influences, free societies have not yet fully grasped how they can resist the threat of sharp power while preserving their fundamental openness and freedom.

Far from offering a counsel of despair, the international contributors in this collection identify the considerable resources that democracy provides for blunting sharp power's edge. With careful case studies of successful resistance efforts in countries such as Hungary, Malaysia, and Ukraine, the book offers a roadmap for democratic governments and civil society organizations to defend their societies against the threat of sharp power.

The editors argue that the fight against sharp power requires a comprehensive approach that addresses both the political and social dimensions of the threat. They emphasize the importance of promoting democratic values, strengthening institutions, and promoting media and information literacy. They also call for greater international cooperation to counter the spread of authoritarianism and support democratic movements in countries that are under threat.

In conclusion, Defending Democracy in an Age of Sharp Power is a timely and important book that provides a comprehensive analysis of the threat posed by authoritarianism and offers practical solutions for defending democracy in the face of this growing threat. The editors' commitment to promoting democratic values and strengthening institutions is a testament to the resilience and strength of democratic societies, and their call for greater international cooperation is a call to action that we cannot afford to ignore.

Weight: 318g
Dimension: 229 x 152 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781421448046