February 25, 2026 | 12:30 - 2 pm (lunch talk) | 223 Philosophy Hall
IIS Spring 2026 Speaker Series: The U.S. and the Fate of World Order
Rupture #1: Democracy and Human Rights
For decades the US’s role in the world has been grounded in democratic values as well as often contradictory economic and security interests that have contributed to both global cohesion and tension. Though inconsistent, the promotion of democracy and human rights has at times been a significant tool of American foreign policy that has empowered civil society against autocracy and impunity.
The statements and actions of the Trump administration have downgraded or even degraded democracy and human rights in U.S. foreign policy and diplomacy. At the same time, democratic strain at home has weakened the appeal of the American model. As a result, the normative foundations and “soft power” applications of American leadership have become unclear. Can the U.S. be a force for good in the world when democracy and human rights are strained at home?
Panelists:
- Bennett Freeman - Chatham House Associate Fellow; IIS Senior Fellow
- Brad Adams - Executive Director, Climate Rights International; former Asia Director for Human Rights Watch
- Susan Hyde - UC Berkeley Professor of Political Science; IIS Faculty Co-Director
Series description
Rupture: The U.S. and the Fate of World Order is a speaker series engaging expert academics and practitioners to provide a contemporaneous overview of the intentional disruption of US foreign policy and “rupture” of the international order. Longstanding pillars of American foreign policy and national security are being corroded and even dismantled, with immediate consequences and historic long-term implications for global security, stability, and prosperity.
This IIS-hosted series explores the core contours of this disruption by identifying its driving forces, key actors, and structural effects. Each event examines the current moment through one of four overlapping domains: 1) democracy and human rights, 2) collective security and alliances, 3) the international economic and trade order, and 4) the international community, international law, and multilateral institutions. Together, these sessions enable students and others to deepen their understanding of the dynamics at work and their impacts.
