Killian Clarke
Academic and professor at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and author of Return of Tyranny (Cambridge UP, 2025), discussing his research on counterrevolutions with a focus on Egypt.
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Nov 21, 2025 • 1h 5min
Killian Clarke, "Return of Tyranny: Why Counterrevolutions Emerge and Succeed" (Cambridge UP, 2025)
Killian Clarke, an academic at Georgetown University, explores the dynamics of counterrevolutions, particularly in Egypt. He shares insights from his book, highlighting why some revolutions succumb to counterrevolution while others endure. Clarke discusses the critical role of elite coalitions and popular support in preventing counterrevolutions. He explains how violent movements can resist but often lead to new autocracies. The conversation emphasizes the importance of foreign support for democratic transitions and outlines future research on protest data and autocracy.
Nov 21, 2025 • 1h 5min
Killian Clarke, "Return of Tyranny: Why Counterrevolutions Emerge and Succeed" (Cambridge UP, 2025)
In this insightful discussion, political scientist Killian Clarke, a Georgetown professor and author of "Return of Tyranny," dives deep into the dynamics of counterrevolutions. He reveals that half of revolutions face counterrevolutionary efforts, often led by regimes reemerging from upheaval. Using Egypt’s 2013 coup as a case study, he explains how unarmed revolutions struggle to maintain power. Clarke emphasizes the importance of elite coalitions and public support to thwart such threats, offering crucial lessons for today’s resurgent authoritarianism.
