Webinar Series — What’s at Stake: Expert Perspectives on the 2024 Election
The first in a series of educational webinars focused on the upcoming general election in the United States. The series brings together subject matter experts in one-on-one conversations about various political and social issues at stake in this year’s election cycle, which is shaping up to be one of the most dramatic, momentous, and consequential in years. Moderated by Professor Anthea Butler of the University of Pennsylvania.
Anthea Butler is Geraldine R. Segal Professor in American Social Thought at the University of Pennsylvania. Prof. Butler’s recent book is White Evangelical Racism: The Politics of Morality in America on Ferris and Ferris/UNC Press. Professor Butler also is a contributor to The 1619 Book: A New Beginning, with a chapter entitled “Church”. Professor Butler is an op-edcontributorfor MSNBC and her articles have been featured in the New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, NBC, and The Guardian. Professor Butler is a member of the National Institute’s Advisory Council.
Threats to American Democracy: 2024 as a defining year
Professor Ruth Ben-Ghiat discusses her book Strongmen and identifies the threats to American democracy that are at stake in the 2024 election cycle. She will discuss the role of authoritarianism, language and the tools that are being used to subvert democracy in the 2024 election cycle, and what to look out for during the weeks leading up to and after the election.
Ruth Ben-Ghiat is Professor of History and Italian Studies at New York University. She writes about fascism, authoritarianism, propaganda, and democracy protection. She is the recipient of Guggenheim Fellowship aan advisor to Protect Democracy, and an MSNBC opinion columnist. She appears frequently on MSNBC,CNN, PBS, and other networks.
Her latest book, Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present examines how illiberal leaders use corruption, violence, propaganda, and machismo to stay in power, and how resistance to them has unfolded over a century.