Lessons from Resistance to Authoritarianism Around the World
The re-election of Donald Trump coincided with the rise of authoritarian leaders across the world, from the Philippines to El Salvador and Hungary to South Korea. But as in the United States, in each of these countries resistance forces have risen to challenge authoritarian leaders — many of them successfully. From March to September of 2025, IPS hosted monthly webinars on the resistance in several of these countries, highlighting lessons for progressives and supporters of democracy in the United States.
You can watch all of these sessions below.
Session Recordings
Former Philippine lawmaker Walden Bello, in conversation with IPS’s John Cavanagh, recounts his journey from student activist to a global figure on the international left.
IPS associate fellow Christine Ahn hosts a roundtable of leading experts to discuss the role of activists, labor, and media in pushing back against martial law and authoritarianism in South Korea.
Experts share their assessments of how Lula de Silva defeated authoritarian Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro at the polls — and how Brazil beat back a coup attempt.
IPS fellow Sanho Tree examines different case studies to show how easy it has become to shop for alternate realities around the world.
IPS associate fellow John Feffer discusses Hungary’s politics under president Viktor Orban and the lessons that Hungary and Poland hold for the next four years of Trump 2.0.
IPS fellow Basav Sen leads a panel discussing how Indian social movements have resisted the onslaught of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and what we can learn from them.
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Further reading
The IPS Iran Reader
FAQ: Why Is the U.S. Attacking Iran? And What Happens Next?
