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Dr. Jonathan Fanton
Dr. Jonathan F. Fanton will unpack what it takes to move fragile states toward democracy and the rule of law — and what can go wrong along the way.
Why it matters: Democratic transitions don’t succeed on elections alone; they depend on strong institutions, active citizens, and enforceable human rights norms.
Driving the conversation: Drawing on decades of work with groups like Human Rights Watch, Dr. Fanton will outline both breakthroughs and failures in building accountable governments after conflict or authoritarian rule.
About Dr. Fanton:
He is President Emeritus of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a former president of both the MacArthur Foundation and The New School, as well as interim director of the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College.
A Yale-trained historian, Fanton has written on civil society and democratic development and has helped steer major institutions that shape global policy on human rights, international justice, and peace and security. His roles with Human Rights Watch and the World Refugee and Migration Council reflect a career at the intersection of scholarship, advocacy, and public life.
Y's Men Thursday morning meetings are in Hoskins Hall downstairs in the Saugatuck Congregational Church, 245 Post Road East in Westport. Coffee, donut, and bagel social hour begins at 9:00 am, business meeting at 10:00 am, speaker at 10:30 am. Come early and meet your fellow members. Guests are always welcome.
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