Gender, Race, and Democracy
How identity-based narratives are used to weaken democracy
The concept of democracy has been experienced differently around the world but is grounded in a core set of shared principles and values. While imperfect in their application, the constructs of liberal democracy — based upon universal human rights; rule of law; protection of freedoms; and values of fairness, justice, and representation — have improved lives and opportunities for people around the world. A recent survey found that 86 percent of people globally say they want to live in a democracy.
While the vast majority of people around the world prefer democratic principles, the concept of democracy is a threat to those who seek power and control for themselves while denying the personal freedom of others and fair treatment for all. These actors are using orchestrated, well-resourced, and weaponized narratives to justify repression and delegitimize democracy. The consequences of closing civic space, corruption and the lack of rule of law — to name just a few — are experienced differently depending on people’s intersecting and overlapping identities. The impacts vary depending on people’s gender, race, class, sexuality and ability, among other factors.
In the fall of 2024 Metropolitan Group hosted a virtual conversation on the topic of Gender, Race, and Democracy, which you can watch here.
The panel shared a timely and important discussion about how identity-based narratives are used to weaken democracy. Our practitioners drew from their experiences working in the changing dynamics of democratic and civic spaces in the United States, in Mexico, and globally. As strategic communication practitioners working at the intersection of social justice, narrative, and social and behavior change (SBC) they answered this question to kickoff the discussion: How does the current weaponization of the longstanding narratives about “enemies, outsiders, and others” impact the trajectory of democracy, both domestically and internationally?
Delma Jackson III, senior director — Delma has more than 20 years of experience working in community-based organizations and academic institutions. His interests include African-American issues and the American meta-narrative in the context of white supremacy, intersectionality in the Black Power and Civil Rights Movement, and the Replacement Theory.
Fernanda Salazar Mejía, of counsel to Metropolitan Group — Fernanda has worked on the issues of gender, politics and democracy for more than 15 years. She has developed research on violence against women in politics and women’s political participation, including the role of the media in shaping and reinforcing harmful norms and stereotypes. She is a fellow of the Apolitical Foundation’s TransformNorms learning collaborative. At Metropolitan Group/Impacto Social Metropolitan Group she has led initiatives to understand and address political discourse and narratives that affect the rights of women and girls as well as sexually diverse and gender-diverse people.
Haim Malka, executive vice president — Haim focuses on understanding how identity, culture and history shape narratives, with an emphasis on migration, democracy and authoritarianism. Before joining Metropolitan Group, he spent nearly 20 years as an international affairs and security researcher and analyst.
Moderated by Erin Rebecca Bloom, senior director — Erin is an international legal and policy expert with experience in peace negotiations, fragile and transitional states, and public safety and security. She has worked on identifying and developing antiauthoritarian narratives as well as anticorruption activities utilizing SBC mechanisms.
The discussion was lively and each expert shared perspectives and lessons learned on the intersecting challenges of rising authoritarianism, shrinking civil spaces and constricting democratic freedoms, and the importance of preserving and advancing the essential elements of pluralistic democratic systems.
