Resources
Introducing the Pillars of Support Project
*By Adam Fefer In both the United States and abroad, political leaders have undermined democratic institutions and norms as part of a nearly two-decade global trend of rising authoritarianism. From the...
Tunisian Unions Support the Arab Spring
The Tunisian General Labour Union’s (UGTT) well-established and far-reaching infrastructure enabled it to play an indispensable role in Tunisia’s revolution. While the UGTT was originally a core pillar upholding autocracy...
Brazilian Religious Leaders and Democratic Backsliding
Jair Bolsonaro won the 2018 election in large part because of support from Evangelicals, which had the surprising and encouraging impact of galvanizing pro-democracy efforts by Catholics, despite norms enforced...
Philippines Armed Forces Resist a Dictatorship
The armed forces served as a key pillar propping up President Ferdinand Marcos’ dictatorship in the Philippines from 1965-86. After another unfree election in 1986, a dissatisfied military faction, called...
Teachers in Hungary Oppose Democratic Backsliding
One key target of democratic backsliding in Hungary is the education system. The dismissal of five teachers in 2022 for striking galvanized tens of thousands of teachers, parents, and students...
The Quakers Advance Democracy in the US Civil Rights Movement
Despite their small size, Quakers served as an important pillar in undoing the US’ authoritarian, exclusive status quo as part of the civil rights movement. Largely through the American Friends...
Brazilian Business Leaders Push Back on an Illiberal President
Brazil became less free and democratic during Jair Bolsonaro’s presidency from 2019-2022, culminating in a January 6th style attack where Bolsonaro supporters attempted to disrupt the transfer of power to...
Sensemaking
Addressing complex challenges like authoritarian resurgence, political violence, and systemic racism requires multiple approaches and learning across communities and disciplines. The Horizons Project is committed to curating and synthesizing insights...
Pillars of Support: Business Pillar Caselets
Business and Democracy “Capitalism can’t work without well-functioning governments that design rules to enable innovation and markets, ensure competition, and address social problems.” — Anat Admati, Stanford Economist & Business...