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Jennifer Evans Crafts Open Letter of Concern Signed by Scholars of Fascism, Authoritarianism, and Populism

Jennifer Evans, together with the editorial board of the project, crafted a letter of concern which garnered the signatures of over 150 scholars, warning of the need to strengthen democratic principles and institutions following the US Election. It has been covered in The Guardian and the Washington Post

Excerpt from “” by Lois Beckett in The Guardian:

Dozens of historians of fascism and authoritarianism have signed a letter warning that democracy 鈥渋s either withering or in full-scale collapse globally鈥, and urging ordinary people to take action.

鈥淒emocracy is extremely fragile and potentially temporary, requiring vigilance and protection,鈥 the scholars wrote in the . 鈥淚t is not too late to turn the tide.鈥

More than 150 signatories, including professors and other scholars at universities across the globe, attested to the fragility of democracy worldwide 鈥渋rrespective of who wins the American presidency.鈥

鈥淲hether Donald J Trump is a , a , an or just a bumbling opportunist, the danger to democracy did not arrive with his presidency and goes well beyond 3 November 2020,鈥 the scholars write, referring to election day on Tuesday, when Trump will face Joe Biden at the polls.

The historians warn, particularly in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, 鈥渢he temptation to take refuge in a figure of arrogant strength is now greater than ever鈥. They suggest citizens must be ready not only to defend democracy at the ballot box, but 鈥渋f necessary, also through non-violent protests in the streets鈥.

Jennifer Evans head shot

鈥淭hat鈥檚 the lesson, to not be complacent in moments like this,鈥 said Jennifer Evans, a professor of German history at 杏吧原创 University in Canada and one of the lead organizers of the open letter. 鈥淭his is a very dangerous time, and we all have a responsibility to prop up democracy.鈥

Excerpt from “” by Meryl Kornfield in The Washington Post:

The group urges the public to protect science, journalism, the electoral process and pluralism, and denounce misinformation, political violence and greed.

鈥淲e need to turn away from the rule by entrenched elites and return to the rule of law,鈥 they write. 鈥淲e must replace the politics of 鈥榠nternal enemies鈥 with a politics of adversaries in a healthy, Democratic marketplace of ideas.

鈥淏ecause if we don鈥檛,鈥 the letter concludes, 鈥渨e will indeed face dark days ahead.鈥

You can read the full letter, “” online.