Aram Hur | Democratic Ceilings and Nationalist Conflict in Asia

Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation - Global Challenges to Democracy Seminar Series
Co-sponsored by the Harvard Korea Institute

Aram Hur
Associate Professor of Political Science and Kim Koo Chair in Korean Studies at Tufts University

Chaired by Yanilda María González, Assistant Professor of Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School and Gautam Nair, Assistant Professor of Public Policy at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government

Abstract:
In December 2024, South Korea shocked the world with the declaration of martial law. How could a seemingly thriving democracy regress so suddenly? The crisis shows how democracies can “hit a ceiling” in key areas of the democratic process, even as the system matures. The talk traces how formative nationalist conflicts cast a long shadow on democratic quality by incentivizing nationalist polarization—a specific form of partisan polarization that subverts the very rules of the democratic game.

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This event is open to Harvard ID holders only and registration is required.

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For more information and to register this event, please visit here.

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Lunch will be served.