It seems a fairly unanimous assessment that for several decades, social struggles and solidarity movements have had to take a defensive stance rather than one of progress or of conquering new rights. Everywhere, democracy seems to be in retreat, under threat, to default on its promises of political equality and guaranteed liberties. On the contrary, authoritarian, conservative or far right governments are on the rise. Meanwhile, those who fight for a fairer world are increasingly subjected to violence by the state’s repressive apparatus. How are we to understand this rising repression and the shrinking of democratic expression? And what can we do about it?
Collection Passerelle’s latest issue, Democracies Under Pressure. Authoritarianism, Repression, Struggles, seeks to explore the hot issue of the shrinking of democratic spaces around the world.
Facilitated by Frank Barat (member of the editorial committee), this online event – presenting the publication – addressed different topics (authoritarianism and democracy, mass surveillance and criminalization of social movements, human rights and international solidarity) with several of the publication’s authors :
- Brigitte Ameganvi (Tournons la Page)
- Andrew Crosby
- Michelle Foley (Front Line Defenders)
- Ilia Siatitsa (Privacy International)
- and as external panelist, Vijay Prashad.
The issue is available in print version in French on our online shop and freely downloadable in PDF in English and in French on the Coredem website.