Authoritarianism is rising around the world — threatening democracy, human rights, and the fundamental dignity of diverse communities. This resource library is a curated collection of articles, essays, tools, and analyses designed to help you understand the roots, tactics, and impacts of authoritarian movements. But knowledge is only the first step.
These resources are meant to empower educators, organizers, students, and everyday people with the insight and language needed to challenge authoritarianism, stand up for democracy, and build a world of belonging without othering.
Whether you’re just beginning to learn or seeking deeper context to take action, you’ll find resources here to inform, connect, and inspire.
Note: This resource library was adapted from a curated list of materials by Miriam Juan-Torres González
What are we up against?
We are in the midst of the third wave of autocratization. What is different about our times is that authoritarian populists come to power primarily through mostly free and fair elections and once in office, they often continue to sustain significant public support, even when do not respect basic democratic rules and constantly ignore the rule of law
Today, almost 40 percent of the world’s population live in countries where democracy is deteriorating; a sharp increase in the last ten years. According to Freedom House’s most recent Freedom in the World Report, 80 percent of the global population lives in countries or territories rated not free or only partly free; 2024 was the 19th consecutive year of declining freedom. As V-Dem’s 2025 democracy report notes, the trend of democratic erosion shows no signs of slowing down.
All times are unprecedented in their own ways. Still, we should learn from historical examples and different contexts. These mental models, however, shouldn't become straitjackets or yardsticks that determine how we assess what is happening or what we ought to do—offering false consolation when things aren’t so bad, or inducing paralysis when they’re worse. Much remains unknown. It appears that the United States and other democracies are becoming what scholars call “competitive autocracies” or “electoral autocracies”—hybrid systems in which meaningful democratic institutions coexist with serious incumbent abuses, resulting in elections that are real but fundamentally unfair.
The literature tells us that while the balance is tipped in favor of authoritarian populists, there are still arenas through which opposition forces can challenge those in power:
- the electoral arena
- the legislature
- the judiciary
- the media
But beyond formal institutions, outside institutions–civil society–are determinant to whether autocrats succeed or a newer and better democracy can be built. Authoritarian populists know this, which is why they both crack down on existing civil society and promote the creation of parallel organizations of supportive allies.
The role of culture and ideas is also fundamental. To draw people in and socialize the public into the broader authoritarian project, authoritarian populists rely on cultural strategies designed to shape the intellectual and cultural terrain in which politics occurs—this is known as metapolitics.
Authoritarian populist leaders and the movements that support them collaborate across borders, bolstering each others’ projects in myriad ways. This phenomenon cannot be understood–nor countered–by looking at national contexts in isolation.
Now, more than ever, it’s important to continue bridging: historical and comparative perspective examples teach us that eliciting “loyalty shifts” amongst those supportive of autocrats–individuals and organizations that constitute their pillars of support–is fundamental to combat authoritarianism.
It is also essential to engage in ecosystemic thinking and planning, and recognize that block, bridge, build efforts are all necessary. This is a “a framework—rooted in theory and practice of conflict transformation, civil resistance, and democratic renewal—that aims to resist harm (block), facilitate dialogue across divides (bridge), and construct more inclusive, resilient futures (build), particularly in response to the spread of authoritarianism.”