Democracy and dictatorship in a digital world
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Internet, smartphones, and now artificial intelligence - the digital revolution has made us more connected, given us better access to information and led to greater transparency. Digital tools are used to promote international peace, security, and democracy, but at the same time, authoritarian regimes are becoming increasingly good at navigating the digital world - spreading propaganda, disinformation and exercising control.
In this episode, we ask how we can use digital tools to advocate for peace and democracy. What kinds of challenges and opportunities does the digital media landscape present for democratic societies? And what is the future of democracy worldwide in the era of digitalization?
This episode comes from a Nordic Talks event held at the University of Creativity in Tokyo, arranged by the Nordic Embassies in Japan
“In the digital world, it’s increasingly difficult to know what the truth is, and that’s concerning for democracy”.
Maiko Ichihara, professor at Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo, Japan
This podcast episode features the following speakers
Jacob Hallgren (Sweden)
Jakob Hallgren is the director of the Swedish Institute of International Affairs and was previously Sweden's Ambassador for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation. He has extensive experience in disarmament, peacebuilding, and humanitarian affairs having been Sweden’s Ambassador to the Republic of Korea and deputy director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Throughout his career, Jakob has worked closely with the UN and EU, covering areas such as North Asia, Europe, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Rauno Merisaari (Finland)
Rauno Merisaari is the Human Rights Ambassador at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Helsinki. As a Finnish diplomat, he has dedicated his career to promoting international relations, democracy, and human rights. He is the government's leading expert on human rights policy and the promotion of democracy, playing a key role in coordinating Finland's human rights strategy. His expertise includes freedom of expression and human rights, and he represents Finland in various intergovernmental organizations.
Maiko Ichihara (Japan)
Maiko Ichihara is a professor at the Graduate School of Law and the School of International and Public Policy and Assistant Vice President for International Affairs at Hitotsubashi University in Japan. She sits on the steering committees of the World Movement for Democracy, the East Asia Democracy Forum, and the Japan Fact-check Center, and holds a PhD in political science from George Washington University. Maiko’s academic work covers international relations, supporting democracy, Japanese foreign policy, and influence operations.