Gabriel Hetland: Democracy on the Ground

Friday, March 29, 2024 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM EDT
Horizon Hall, #1010

Is democracy possible only when it is safe for elites? Latin American history seems to suggest so. Right-wing forces have repeatedly deposed elected governments that challenged the rich and accepted democracy only after the defanging of the Left and widespread market reform. Latin America’s recent “left turn” raised the question anew: how would the Right react if democracy threatened elite interests?

Drawing on two years of fieldwork, Gabriel Hetland compares attempts at participatory reform in cities governed by the Left and Right in Venezuela and Bolivia. Offering new perspectives on participation, populism, and Latin American politics, this book challenges widespread ideas about the constraints on democracy.

Please be certain to register here: https://forms.gle/4a6AaUZSWi7yVWqM9. 

Hosted by the Global Affairs Program and Next System Studies, with the support of the Center for Social Science Research, Dr. Hetland is the first Next System Speaker of 2024..