This week, a talk titled "Threats to Liberal Democracy in the United States – And How to Counter Them" was held at Unitelma Sapienza University in Rome. The event featured expert commentary from three Italian scholars: Prof. Carla Bassu (University of Sassari), Prof. Giovanna Tieghi (University of Padua), and Prof. Andrea Fiorentino (Unitelma Sapienza). A response followed their remarks.
The discussion was moderated by Prof. Pier Luigi Petrillo of Unitelma Sapienza.
Additionally, a related interview was conducted for Unitelma Sapienza’s "Leaders’ Talk" program. The interview covered similar themes and was led by Prof. Petrillo and Prof. Fiorentino.
Key Topics Addressed
- Definition of liberal democracy and its core principles
- Abuse of emergency powers and its impact on democratic institutions
- Risks posed by rising nationalism and populism
- Threats to freedom of speech and press freedom
- Challenges related to immigration policies and tariffs
- Comparative analysis of these issues in both the U.S. and European nations
The talk and interview provided a comprehensive examination of the pressures undermining liberal democracy in the United States, while also drawing parallels to similar challenges faced by European countries.
Video Recordings of the Events
For those interested in reviewing the discussions, video recordings of both the talk and the interview are available below:
- Talk: [Link to Talk Video]
- Interview: [Link to Interview Video]
Special thanks to Prof. Petrillo and the entire team at Unitelma Sapienza for organizing these insightful events.
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