Human Rights in Authoritarian States: How Can We Make a Difference?

Join the HKS Human Rights Caucus for a lunchtime conversation with Kenneth Roth, Senior Fellow at the Carr Center and former head of Human Rights Watch. Roth will explore important questions about how democracies can best respond to authoritarian regimes. Should they focus on promoting democratic values, or are there better strategies like focusing on international rules and human rights? He will also address how to build alliances against authoritarian states like China and Russia, especially when some potential partners are autocratic themselves.

Roth will also talk about the risks people face when opposing authoritarian governments. We will discuss how people in democratic countries often hold ordinary citizens of these authoritarian states responsible for their governments' actions, a notion sometimes referred to as 'collective responsibility.' This conversation will highlight the challenges faced by those who speak out against authoritarian regimes and how their struggles often go unnoticed on the global stage.

This event is open to HUID holder only. Preregistration for this event is required.