Harvard professor Daniel Ziblatt on the threat to democracy

06/09/2026

Democracies are under pressure worldwide. Daniel Ziblatt, an expert on the development, success and failure of democracies, will be giving a public lecture on this topic at the University of Würzburg on 9 June.

Democracies are under increasing pressure worldwide - in the United States as well as in Europe. What structural factors favour democratic regression? What role do institutions, parties and political culture play in this process? And what lessons can be learnt from the transatlantic comparison?

The internationally renowned political scientist Daniel Ziblatt will address these questions on the state of democracy in Europe and the USA at the University of Würzburg. The lecture will take place on Tuesday, 9 June 2026, at 6.30 pm in the Audimax at Sanderring 2. Anyone wishing to attend should register by emailing gsik@uni-wuerzburg.de. The lecture will be held in English.

Under the title "Democracy Under Threat: A Transatlantic Perspective", Ziblatt will analyse current developments, mechanisms of democratic backsliding and possible ways of strengthening democratic resilience.

One of the most distinguished democracy researchers of our time

Ziblatt is Eaton Professor of the Science of Government at Harvard University and Director at the Social Science Research Centre Berlin (WZB). His research focuses on democratic theory, authoritarianism research, party (systems), state-building and political institutions.

As co-author of the highly acclaimed How Democracies Die, he expanded his international visibility and shaped the global debate on the erosion of democratic institutions. The work has been translated into over 30 languages. His most recent book is Tyranny of the Minority: Why American Democracy Reached the Breaking Point, which he published together with Steven Levitsky.

Lecture completes series

The lecture concludes the lecture series "Under Pressure. On Democracy, Trust and the Public Sphere", which invites participants to analyse and discuss key challenges of our time.

The series was launched by a cross-faculty initiative consisting of representatives from university and faculty management and various status groups. The aim is to raise awareness of the topic of democracy within and outside the university. The series is organised by the "Global Systems and Intercultural Competence" (GSiK) programme.

Further information on the series of events can be found on the GSiK programme website.

About GSiK

GSiK is an interdisciplinary programme at the University of Würzburg that prepares students for the challenges of a globalised world. In interdisciplinary courses, GSiK teaches skills in dealing with cultural diversity, social discrimination and global contexts. The aim is to create a deeper understanding of living together in a complex society through (self-)reflection and practical relevance and to develop the skills to shape society responsibly and sustainably.