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Registration closes on May 8; all attendees must register – no walk-ins will be allowed

The Global Democracy Conference (GDC) returns in 2026, with scholars, policymakers, and activists coming together at the University of Notre Dame to explore urgent strategies for defending and renewing democracy worldwide. This year’s theme, Confronting Public Support for Anti-Democratic Leaders, will guide two days of keynotes, plenary roundtables, and breakout sessions featuring academic and policy partners of the Kellogg Institute. 

In old and new democracies, voters appear increasingly willing to support radical candidates who, once elected, dismantle democracy from the inside. Judges, legislators, journalists, and civil society can resist the process of democratic backsliding, but mere containment is insufficient. Reversing the process ultimately requires electoral majorities committed to consistently voting democratic parties into office and rejecting illiberal electoral appeals at the ballot box. This conference is guided by the following key questions:

  • What factors have prompted the rise of public support for anti-democratic leaders?
  • How do illiberal executives rally public approval?
  • Under what conditions can democratic actors mobilize public support for democracy?
  • What strategies are more effective to confront anti-democratic leaders at the ballot box?
  • What role do digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence and social media, play in the mobilization of public support?

The 2026 Global Democracy Conference will convene scholars and practitioners to explore new areas of collaboration between academia and the policy world, connect scholars and practitioners from different regions of the world, and improve our collective ability to understand and address antidemocratic support among voters. The GDC includes two types of sessions: Plenary roundtables, colored gold on the conference schedule, will feature 12-minute presentations by academics and practitioners, followed by a conversation led by a moderator. Breakout sessions, colored red on the conference schedule, will feature topics and formats proposed by leading academic and policy organizations at the Kellogg Institute’s invitation, broadening the range of conversations at the GDC. 

Finally, this year, the GDC will be followed by the Keeping the Republic Conference on May 21st, a forum for invited senior researchers and early-career scholars dedicated to a broad revitalization of American democracy. Be part of a global conversation on the future of democracy. Add the GDC to your calendar and register now!

ADD TO CALENDAR

For any questions regarding the conference, please contact Eduardo Pagés.

 

First Day – Tuesday, May 19, 2026

Plenary roundtables are colored gold on the conference schedule and feature 12-minute presentations by academics and practitioners. Breakout sessions, colored red on the conference schedule, feature topics proposed by leading academic and policy organizations at the Kellogg Institute’s invitation.  Conference takes place in the Hesburgh Center for International Studies and the Jenkins Nanovic Halls.


8:30-9:00am – Registration Check-In and Coffee

9:00-9:30am – Opening
Aníbal Pérez-Liñán, Kellogg Institute Director, University of Notre Dame
John McGreevy, Charles and Jill Fischer Provost, University of Notre Dame

9:30-10:45am – Plenary Roundtable 1:

Why do Citizens Stand for Democracy – or Strongmen
What factors lead voters to support authoritarian leaders, and by contrast, which enable citizens to develop an enduring commitment to democracy? Under what conditions do normative preferences for democracy translate into voting, protesting, and engaging against undemocratic parties and candidates, and when do they not? Can citizen commitment to democracy be deepened through institutional interventions or actions such as civic education, campaigning, and elite messaging?

Chair: Mary O'Connell, Kellogg Institute
Luis Schiumerini, University of Notre Dame 
Frances Cayton, Cornell University
Rodrigo Zarazaga, Center for Research and Social Action (CIAS)
Joseph Asunka, Afrobarometer            


10:45-11:00am – Break

11:00am-12:15pm – Plenary Roundtable 2:

When Civil Society Helps – or Hurts – Democratic Support
Can social movements, NGOs, INGOs and other civil society organizations (CSOs), intentionally or unintentionally enable support for illiberal leaders? How do would-be authoritarian leaders co-opt civil society to enhance their legitimacy in the eyes of citizens? Can civil society organizations help mobilize electoral support for pro-democratic actors? How can social movements be channeled into sustainable electoral projects? 

Chair: Ann Mische, University of Notre Dame 
Tomás Gold, University of Southern California
Mohammad Ali Kadivar, Boston College
Flávia Pellegrino, Pacto pela Democracia
Helena Hofbauer, Ford Foundation        


12:15-1:00pm – Lunch Break

1:00-2:15pm – Breakout Sessions Block 1 (choice of three concurrent sessions):

Option A | Resisting Democratic Backsliding Upwards: Subnational Governments and Antidemocratic Leaders in Latin America
What role can governors, intendants, mayors and other subnational authorities play in counterbalancing executive excesses? How do Presidents seek to limit the power of subnational governmental entities? What are key examples of upwards resistance in the Americas and what can we learn from them? 
Presented by The Permanent Symposium on Educating for Democracy (Pontificia Universidad Javeriana de Colombia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú). 

Chair: Fr. Luis Fernando Múnera Congote, S.J,  Pontificia Universidad Javeriana
Sebastián Líppez-De Castro, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana
Maria Valeria Palanza, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile      
Jorge Aragón Trelles, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

 

Option B | Does Autocracy Deliver? Comparing Autocracy and Democracy in the Global South 
Are Autocracies better than Democracies at delivering governance outcomes, or is this a misperception? How do Pro-Autocracy narratives originate in the Global South, and who crafts them? How can we counter anti-democratic narratives and bolster the popularity of democratic governance systems?  
Presented by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace 

Chair:  Catalina Vega Méndez, University of Notre Dame
Amr Hamzawy, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Sarah Yerkes, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

 

Option C | Understanding Citizens’s Political Behavior Using LAPOP Lab’s AmericasBarometer 2025-2026
How is the AmericasBarometer 2025-2026 helping researchers understand the role of citizens in processes of democratic backsliding? Which innovative survey measures may improve our understanding of citizen attitudes and behaviors towards democracy? How can the AmericasBarometer be leveraged in future rounds? 
Presented by Vanderbilt’s Center for Global Democracy & The University of Notre Dame’s Kellogg Institute for International Studies

Chair: Noam Lupu, Vanderbilt University 
Abby Córdova, University of Notre Dame
Géssica de Freitas, University of Notre Dame
Luis Schiumerini, University of Notre Dame
Scott Mainwaring, University of Notre Dame

 

2:15-2:30pm – Break

2:30-3:45pm – Breakout Sessions Block 2 (choice of two concurrent sessions): 

Option A | From Outside, In: Evidence-based Democracy Assistance Approaches to Confronting Anti-democratic Leaders at the Ballot Box
How can political parties prevent autocrats from assuming office in the first place? How can these leaders be defeated, or at least their voting share reduced? What role can democracy assistance providers play in supporting political parties?
Presented by the Atlantic Council's Freedom and Prosperity Center

Chair: Patrick Quirk, Atlantic Council 
Laura Gamboa, University of Notre Dame
Johanna Kao, International Republican Institute 
Pedro A. Urruchurtu Noselli, Office of María Corina Machado
Derek Mitchell, Center for Strategic and International Studies

 

Option B | Public Opinion and Democratic Backsliding
Why are citizens willing to back – sometimes enthusiastically – democratic backsliding? What role do political competition and elite rhetoric play in such processes across Europe, Latin America and Africa? 
Presented by Vanderbilt University’s Center for Global Democracy   

Chair: Dan Slater, University of Michigan
Noam Lupu, Vanderbilt University
Rachel Riedl, Cornell University
Susan Stokes, University of Chicago


3:45-4:00pm – Break

4:00-5:15pm – Plenary Roundtable 3:

Why the People Love the Leader and What to Do About It 
What are some of the leading strategies used by autocrats to boost their popularity? How should activists and other democratic actors respond? How do these dynamics play out in Eastern Europe, North Africa and Latin America? What lessons can be drawn from the Bolivian, Serbian and Egyptian cases?
Presented by The Journal of Democracy      

Chair: Tarek Masoud & William Dobson, Journal of Democracy
Jhanisse Vaca Daza, Human Rights Foundation
Breza Race, Center for Applied Nonviolent Action and Strategies (CANVAS)
Hisham Kassem, Harvard University


5:15-6:15pm – Reception


Second Day – Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Plenary roundtables are colored gold on the conference schedule and feature 12-minute presentations by academics and practitioners. Breakout sessions, colored red on the conference schedule, feature topics proposed by leading academic and policy organizations at the Kellogg Institute’s invitation.  


8:30-9:00am – Registration Check-In and Coffee

9:00-9:30 am – Introduction to the Day
Aníbal Pérez-Liñán, University of Notre Dame

9:30-10:45am – Plenary Roundtable 4:

Why Citizens Turn Away from Human Rights and How to Win Them Back
Why and how do illiberal actors engage in anti-human rights rhetoric and actions? When are citizens willing to ignore, or outright support human rights violations, and by contrast, when do citizens develop a commitment to support the rights of vulnerable populations? What strategies can be used to mobilize citizens in support of human rights, and which democratic actors are best positioned to do so?  What examples from across the globe illustrate these dynamics at play? 

Chair: Laura Gamboa, University of Notre Dame
Angie Torres Beltran, University of Arizona
Alejandra López Villegas, Lake Forest College
Alexander Kustov, University of Notre Dame
Noah Bullock, Cristosal Human Rights  


10:45-11:00 am – Break

11:00am-12:15pm – Plenary Roundtable 5:

Citizen Participation via Social Media and AI
How do new media environments affect citizen attitudes and participation under democratic threat? How can pro-democratic actors counter fake news? What risks and opportunities does AI pose for mobilizing citizens for democracy?

Chair: Lisa Schirch, University of Notre Dame
Dahjin Kim, University of Notre Dame 
Joshua Tucker, New York University
Huo Jingnan, National Public Radio
David Altman, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile      


12:15-1:00pm – Lunch Break

1:00-2:15pm – Plenary Roundtable 6:

Winning Campaigns — Autocratic Tactics and Democratic Responses
What are typical campaign strategies that illiberal executives or parties engage in to generate autocratic support? What works when campaigning for pro-democracy forces in environments where the idea of democracy is contested, and what doesn’t?  What strategies and messaging are most effective in mobilizing candidates and votes for pro-democratic parties?

Chair: Joel Day, University of Notre Dame
Marc Jacob, University of Notre Dame
Florian Foos, London School of Economics and Political Science
Seda Demiralp, Işık University
Ali Mortell, Blue Rose Research 

 

2:15-2:30pm – Break

2:30-3:45pm – Breakout Session Block 3 (choice of three concurrent sessions):

Option A | Pathways of Power Grabs: Confronting Autocracy at the Ballot Box in 2026
What have been the comparative pathways towards power grabs by would-be-autocrats in Hungary, Brazil, and the United States, all countries with upcoming elections in 2026? How have these leaders strategized to reach and persuade voters to vote against their interests? What strategies and actions have contributed to connect with the public in order to beat back state capture across these cases? 
Presented by the German Marshall Fund 

Chair: Melissa Hooper, German Marshall Fund
Daniel Hegedus, German Marshall Fund 
Juan Albarracín, University of Illinois, Chicago 
Julia Vaughn, Common Cause Indiana

 

Option B | Strengthening Democratic Resilience, Action, and Narratives Globally 
What may be new and breakthrough pathways to strengthen democratic resilience and reinvigorate key democracy networks and stakeholders? What is the role of governmental and nongovernmental actors in defending vibrant democracies, as informed by the Brookings Democracy Playbook? 
Presented by the Brookings Institution’s Anti-Corruption, Democracy, and Security (ACDS) Project

Chair: Norman Eisen, Brookings Institution 
Archon Fung, Harvard University
Shannon Green, Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement (PACE)
Laura Thornton, McCain Institute

 

Option C | Testing the Limits - Authoritarian Influence at Scale in a New Period of Impunity
How have monumental recent shifts—like changes in the geopolitical order, the erosion of international norms and accountability measures, and intensifying competition over AI—altered the strategies and impacts of authoritarian powers? How are authoritarian regimes, like China and Russia, adapting their foreign-influence strategies at the expense of democratic practices like elections and other rights and freedoms? What are the emerging trends and vulnerabilities that democracies of all stripes must be aware of in this new period of autocratic impunity?

Chair: Joshua Eisenman, University of Notre Dame
Kevin Sheives, International Forum for Democratic Studies at the NED 
Caroline Costello, Atlantic Council
Florindo Chivucute, Friends of Angola

 

3:45-5:00pm – “Networking “ Break

5:00-6:00pm – Closing Keynote

Democratic Backsliding Around the World: Why Is It Happening, How Can it be Stopped?

Susan Stokes
Tiffany and Margaret Blake Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science, University of Chicago
Director, Chicago Center on Democracy
President, American Political Science Association
Author of The Backsliders: Why Leaders Undermine their Own Democracies

Introduced by Kenneth Scheve, I.A. O’Shaughnessy Dean of the College of Arts and Letters, University of Notre Dame

 

6:00-7:00pm – Global Democracy & Keeping the Republic Conferences Reception

While there is not a room block for attendees of the conference, the following hotels may be available for your stay:

The Morris Inn at the University of Notre Dame
1399 North Notre Dame Avenue
Notre Dame, Indiana 46556
Telephone (574) 631-2000
The Morris Inn is located on the Notre Dame campus and is a short distance from the conference venue.

 

The Embassy Suites
1140 East Angela Boulevard
South Bend, Indiana 46637
(574) 400-2600
The Embassy Suites is located on the edge of campus (0.7 miles) and is within walking distance from the conference venue.  A breakfast bar is offered each day.

 

The Ivy Court
1404 Ivy Court
South Bend, Indiana 46635
telephone (574) 277-6500 or 1-888-325-2647
The Ivy Court is located on the edge of campus (1.3 miles) and is within walking distance from the conference venue.  A breakfast bar is offered each day.

 

The Inn at Saint Mary's
53993 State Road 933
South Bend, Indiana 46637
telephone (574)232-4000
The Inn at Saint Mary’s is located on the edge of campus (2.1 miles) and has a shuttle service available for those who prefer not to walk.  A breakfast bar is offered each day.

 

The Hilton Garden Inn
53995 Indiana State Route 933
South Bend, Indiana, 46637, USA
telephone (574)232-7700
The Hilton Garden Inn is located on the edge of campus (next to the Inn at Saint Mary’s/2.1 miles)  and has a shuttle service available for those who prefer not to walk to the conference venue.

 

The Fairfield Inn and Suites 
1220 East Angela Boulevard
South Bend, Indiana 46637
(574) 234-5510
The Fairfield Inn and Suites located on the edge of campus (0.6 miles) and is within walking distance of the conference venues. A breakfast bar is offered each day.

 

Baymont by Wyndham South Bend/Notre Dame
215 South Dixie Way
South Bend, Indiana 46637
(574) 277-3211
The Baymont by Wydham is located near campus (2.4 miles). A breakfast bar is offered each day.

 

Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham South Bend/Notre Dame
222 South Dixie Way
South Bend, Indiana 46637
(574) 303-6493
The Microtel Inn & Suites is located near campus (2.5 miles). A breakfast bar is offered each day.

 

Holiday Inn Express & Suites South Bend - Notre Dame
120 North Dixie Way
South Bend, Indiana 46637
(574) 968-8080
The Holiday Inn Express & Suites is located near campus (2.6 miles). A breakfast bar is offered each day.

 

Motel 6 South Bend
236 North Dixie Way
South Bend, Indiana 46637
(574) 404-2004
The Motel 6 is located near campus (2.7 miles).

Quality Inn South Bend
425 North Dixie Way
South Bend, Indiana 46637
(574) 222-2614
The Quality Inn South Bend is located near campus (2.9 miles). A breakfast bar is offered each day.

Campus parking can be found on this campus map. The visitor lots closest to the conference venues are Walsh, Compton, and Joyce. 

All visitors should use ParkMobile to pay for parking during normal business hours: Monday - Friday, 6:00am - 4:00pm. After 4:00pm, there is no charge for parking.

Please note the ParkMobile Hourly Rate Schedule*
1 hr - $2.00
2 hrs - $4.00
3 hrs - $6.00
4 hrs - $8.00
4+hrs - $10.00
*Additional ParkMobile service fees will be applied.

More information can be found at the University's Guest & Visitor Parking webpage.