Safeguarding civic spaces, with Doug Rutzen

Digital advancements present us with numerous opportunities to move forward on the path toward more inclusive and democratic societies. That has been the case when tech-enabled social movements and civil society organisations to sprout, regroup, and act. However, the opposite holds true too – technology is agnostic, and supported by authoritarian or malicious intents, it can be used to threaten, surveil, and cancel out opposition.

Doug Rutzen, President and CEO of the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) and professor at Georgetown University, saw how this dualism unfolded throughout the past three decades. In this podcast episode, we discuss where we were and where we’re at. A wide-ranging conversation on including the Global South, safeguarding civic spaces, and advocating for the rule of justice (not just that of law).