‘How Democracies Die’ author to address ‘Tyranny of the Minority’ on Sept. 24 at URI

"This is a perilous time for democracy"

Kristen Curry 

Author Daniel Ziblatt will continue the 2024 University of Rhode Island Honors Colloquium Tuesday, Sept. 24, with “Tyranny of the Minority — and How to Repair our Democracy.” A political science professor at Harvard, Ziblatt specializes in democracy and historical political economy. 

He is the co-author of How Democracies Die, which spent weeks on the New York Times bestseller list in 2018 and was named among Newsweek’s 50 Best Books of the Year, a New York Times’ editor’s choice and a Washington Post Book of the Year; the book has been translated into 30 languages.

Ziblatt is also the co-author of Tyranny of the Minority (with Steven Levitsky), published last year, and also a New York Times bestseller and Newsweek Best Book of the Year.

Hosted by the University’s Honors Program, the 61st edition of URI’s premier lecture series is examining the challenges democracy faces, while many students at the University, and elsewhere, are voting for the first time this fall.

“We are excited to welcome this slate of speakers,” says Marc Hutchison, chair of URI’s political science department. 

“This year’s colloquium will examine the threats to democracy at home and abroad. This is a perilous time for democracy in the world right now. Our hope is that this year’s colloquium can raise awareness on the challenges facing the global community and how we, as a society, can engage in actions to strengthen our democracy while preserving our liberties and values.”

Ziblatt will speak at 7 p.m. at Edwards Hall on the Kingston Campus, the second lecture in the fall colloquium series, “Democracy in Peril,” which will also be streamed (livestream links will be available the night of each event on the colloquium website).

Ziblatt’s lecture will be followed Oct. 1 by Andrew Ifedapo Thompson from the University of Pennsylvania, speaking on “Race and Democratic Backsliding in the U.S.”

This year’s colloquium topic has drawn wide interest across campus at URI, with several complementary events, from a democracy-themed student innovation challenge to hosting visits from Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore to speak with students, and a program for faculty on Democracy in the Classroom.

Hosted by the University’s Honors Program, the URI Honors Colloquium is free and open to the public. Lectures are held most Tuesday evenings this fall, through Nov. 12. To see recordings of last year’s speakers, visit the Honors Colloquium Archives.

Visit the Honors Colloquium site for details and click here to view a booklist of suggested reading to accompany this year’s colloquium. Register to get updates and reminders for this fall’s speakers here or by emailing urihonors@etal.uri.edu.