Freedom and the Deep State: Slavery, State Capacity and Institutional Change in the Americas
Join Thad Dunning, Robson Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley and Director of the Center on the Politics of Development, for a Global Challenges to Democracy seminar.
In-Person Event
Ash Center Seminar Room 225, Suite 200, 124 Mount Auburn Street
12:00 pm – 1:15 pm EST
Join Thad Dunning, Robson Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley and Director of the Center on the Politics of Development, for a Global Challenges to Democracy seminar.
A vast literature highlights the political, social and economic consequences of slavery. Yet, previous research—particularly in political science and on Latin America—appears to have missed important channels through which the regulation of slavery contributed crucially to state-building. Dunning argues that the regulation of slavery in imperial Brazil contributed to the construction of a bureaucracy that was, in many ways, autonomous from slaveholder interests. He proposes that this autonomy was driven by the imperatives of political survival.
Dunning then empirically examines two main vehicles through which an autonomous state was built: responses to lawsuits for freedom brought on behalf of enslaved persons and appeals for protection within the carceral system. The argument may also offer new comparative insights into state-building in the Americas.
Lunch will be served starting at 11:45 AM.
About the Series
In the span of a few years, democracy has gone from a likely, if distant, destination for much of the world to a far more tenuous prospect. The Global Challenges to Democracy seminar series, co-chaired by Professors Yanilda María González and Gautam Nair and hosted by the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, delves deep into the various challenges, both internal and external, that stand in the way of building more accountable, responsive and capable democracies. In this series, leading scholars of politics provide insights using a wide variety of methods and expertise in countries from across the globe.
Event Details
This event is open to Harvard ID holders only and registration is required.
The Ash Center encourages individuals with disabilities to participate in its events. Should you wish to inquire about an accommodation, please contact our events team at info@ash.harvard.edu prior to the event.
Additional questions? Email the Ash Center events team at info@ash.harvard.edu.