Open Networks, Closed Regimes

In her new co-authored book Open Networks, Closed Regimes Shanthi Kalathil looks at the link between technology and democratization, in other words, at the Internet and freedom. Contrary to conventional wisdom the author finds that going digital does not mean going democratic. Many in the policy and punditry worlds believe the Internet poses a grave threat to authoritarian rule; in fact, there¹s a popular notion that the Internet inexorably undermines such regimes. But that¹s not true. The Internet is challenging and helping to transform authoritarianism but alone is unlikely to bring about its demise.

Ms. Kalathil is an author, scholar, former reporter for the “Asian Wall Street Journal” and currently an Associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Her expertise is the information revolution and political change in developing countries. Her new book was preceded by a working paper on the same subject “The impact of the Internet on Authoritarian Rule” and received significant attention from the press and other scholars.

5th Floor Conference Room

Coffee and pastry provided