Strongmen: How Illiberal Leaders Consolidate Power and How They Can Be Defeated

In her Inouye Chair keynote address, NYU historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat explains how today’s populists threatening democracy draw from a playbook written by European fascists in the buildup to World War II.
The lecture surveys how institutionalized misogyny, celebration of hypermasculinity, and violent rhetoric are building blocks of modern-day authoritarianism.
Keywords: Ruth Ben-Ghiat, strongmen, ideology, exploitation, gender politics, hypermasculinity, propaganda, monopolization, global democracy, illiberal government, toxic masculinity, populism, Trump, Putin, populism, fascism
Ruth Ben-Ghiat is Professor of History and Italian Studies at New York University, a Guggenheim fellow, and Advisor to Protect Democracy. She is an MSNBC opinion columnist and a regular contributor to CNN and The Washington Post. She publishes Lucid, a newsletter on threats to democracy.
In her latest book, Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present, Ben-Ghiat looks at how illiberal leaders use propaganda, corruption, violence, and machismo - and how they can be defeated.
Professor Ben-Ghiat is the spring 2023 Dan and Maggie Inouye Distinguished Chair in Democratic Ideals at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
BTSS website: manoa.hawaii.edu/speakers/
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[@kayfitzgerald309]

All the major & cable & youtubers need her on!!!! Daily!!!😊

[@billwheeler3687]

I regret that I have only one LIKE to give this lecture.

[@Sunmoon-gj9gy]

It's very sad to me that this important lecture and issue has only garnered 1,000 views and one comment, mine 😢

[@lindascanlan6317]

I'm here now...I follow Professor Ben-Ghiat like a bunny chases a carrot...
She's brilliant....an authentic voice crying out - warning us of the coming instability and to come based on her extensive research and life's work in the field of cultural/political social science.
Good to be here with you.
Linda 🐝

[@lindascanlan6317]

My favorite professor of all things autocracy and fascism...

[@CoolInOlympia]

I love her Strongman work. It is so brilliant and important!!!!

[@kimobrien.]

Most Democratic Party liberals never saw a strongman they couldn't come to an agreement with.

[@williamcarr459]

She got this stuff figgered out correctly! Brilliant scholar!! Thank you Ruthie! Your work is must read! If you love democracy support Ruth!!

[@douglasreynolds-op1no]

Thank you for this book!

[@C-Span222]

Thank you!

[@mm5478]

Smart & insightful. A wee bit scary, too.

[@chrisg6091]

Address begins at 15:00

[@depleteduraniumcowboy3516]

Great last question.

[@leealexander3507]

I rrmeconized the daanger as. Trump decended the escalator and announced his candacy

[@truthministry7462]

Powerful

[@Rhythmicons]

At 14:00 she mentioned of "one of two parties" but isn't really exploring fully the role of the Democrats as enablers of what should be recognized as a right wing countetrevolution.

[@aaronsmyth7943]

What has singing a song got to do with anything?

[@katrinadutton9156]

Speaker doesn’t start until 14 freaking minutes in

[@mikeFolco]

Omfg 14 minutes???

[@patrickvernon1570]

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