Can bridge building save democracy? With Miriam Juan-Torres González

Alex Evans speaks to Miriam Juan-Torres González, a leading expert on polarisation, democracy and belonging. They discuss the evolution of political polarisation since 2016, the rise of authoritarian populism and strategies for building bridges and defending democracy in turbulent times. Miriam shares insights from her research and real-world examples of successful civic campaigns, offering practical advice for anyone passionate about positive change.

Key Topics:

- Issue-based vs affective polarisation and the global landscape.
- The role of the political right and left in driving polarisation. When it can be a necessary strategy for justice.
- The importance of focusing on authoritarianism and democracy.
- The pitfalls of mainstream parties adopting far-right rhetoric. Alternative strategies for centrist governments.
- Relational organising, deep canvassing, and bridge-building.
- Do labels like “fascism” and “radical right” describe current political trends?
- The importance of electoral and grassroots strategies in defending democracy.
- A new vision of democracy.
- Integrating bridge-building with justice.

People:

Míriam Juan-Torres González is an expert on authoritarian populism, polarisation and human rights. She is Head of Research at OBI's Democracy & Belonging Forum at UC Berkeley, and formerly acted as advisor to Our Common Home and taught at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. She is the co-author of “Hidden Tribes: A Study of America’s Polarized Landscape” and the lead author of “Britain’s Choice: Common Ground and Division in 2020s Britain". She is also co-chair of the Board of the Belong Network. 

Alex Evans is the founder and Executive Director of Larger Us. He’s also a Visiting Professor in Practice at Newcastle University’s School of Arts and Cultures, a Senior Fellow at New York University’s Center on International Cooperation, and the author of "The Myth Gap: What Happens When Evidence and Arguments Aren’t Enough?" (Penguin, 2017). Alex is a former Campaign Director at Avaaz, where he ran campaigns on areas including Brexit. He’s also been a political adviser, including for two UK Secretaries of State for International Development and in the UN Secretary-General’s office.

Resources & Further Reading:

Chris Armitage’s blog on racism.
Corrine Fowler’s interview on the Larger Us podcast
Alex Evan's article on Radical Love and Depolarisation
Hidden Tribes (US) report
Britain’s Choice (UK) report
Research by Maria Stephan and Erica Chenoweth on nonviolent resistance
The Othering and Belonging Institute’s work on targeted universalism

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