Sessions

  • Jamil Assis and Noam Lupu in conversation, with the Brazilian flag behind them Watch

    Brazil: Democracy and Free Speech

    From platform liability laws to the nationwide suspension of X, free speech in Brazil is at a historic low. Vanderbilt political scientist Noam Lupu and Sivis Institute Director Jamil Assis unpack how the country got here and what comes next.

    • Noam Lupu, Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Professor of Political Science, Vanderbilt University
    • Jamil Assis, Director, Sivis Institute
  • Beth Kerley, Eka Gigauri, and Félix Maradiaga on stage, with a protest crowd behind them Watch

    The Global Rise of Foreign Agent Laws

    From Nicaragua to Georgia, governments are branding journalists, dissidents, and civil society groups as “foreign agents” to silence them. Félix Maradiaga, a former Nicaraguan presidential candidate who was imprisoned by the Ortega regime, and Eka Gigauri of Transparency International Georgia join the National Endowment for Democracy’s Beth Kerley to discuss how these laws are weaponized and how to fight back.

    • Félix Maradiaga, Nicaraguan Academic, Political Activist, and Former Presidential Candidate
    • Eka Gigauri, Executive Director, Transparency International Georgia
    • Beth Kerley (moderator), Senior Program Officer, International Forum for Democratic Studies, National Endowment for Democracy