Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates "Western Democracy Is Threatening Suicide" in NYC and Online, October 3

Do the populist and nationalist uprisings that led to Donald Trump and Brexit signal Western democracy’s certain decline? Or are such recent events part of a healthy and regenerative antidote to policies that have challenged liberal institutions and marginalized the middle class? For ten years now, the "fantastic" (The New Yorker) Intelligence Squared U.S. has held debates on topics from foreign relations to the economy and on Tuesday, October 3, they take on the future of democracy itself a live debate on the motion "Western Democracy Is Threatening Suicide."

French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy and Harvard lecturer Yascha Mounk debate in support of the motion. Debating against the motion are Bloomberg View columnist Clive Crook and Kori Schake, a member of the National Security Council and State Department under President George W. Bush.

The debate will be held at NYC's Kaufman Center and stream live online, then air soon after as part of the syndicated public radio show and podcast "Intelligence Squared U.S." On October 3, online viewers can tune in at IQ2US's website (http://intelligencesquaredus.org).

WHAT: Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates "Western Democracy Is Threatening Suicide"

WHEN: Tuesday, October 3, 2017 / Reception 5:45-6:30 / Debate 6:45-8:30 PM

WHERE: Kaufman Center/129 W. 67th Street (bet. Broadway and Amsterdam)/New York, NY 10023

TICKETS: $40 ($12 for students w/ ID). To purchase, visit http://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/

Arguing for the motion:

* Bernard-Henri Lévy is a French philosopher and one of the most esteemed and bestselling writers in Europe. He is the author of more than 30 books, including works of philosophy, fiction, and biography. American Vertigo: Traveling America in the Footsteps of Tocqueville was a New York Times bestseller.

* Yascha Mounk is a Lecturer on Political Theory at Harvard University's Government Department, a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Transatlantic Academy of the German Marshall Fund, and a Nonresident Fellow at New America's Political Reform Program.

Arguing against the motion:

* Clive Crook is a Bloomberg View columnist and writes editorials on economics, finance and politics. He was chief Washington commentator for the Financial Times.

* Kori Schake is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution. She is the editor, with Jim Mattis, of the book Warriors and Citizens: American Views of Our Military.

ABOUT INTELLIGENCE SQUARED U.S. DEBATES (IQ2US)

A non-partisan, non-profit organization, Intelligence Squared U.S. was founded in 2006 to address a fundamental problem in America: the extreme polarization of our nation and our politics. Their mission is to restore critical thinking, facts, reason, and civility to American public discourse. The award-winning debate series reaches over 30 million American households through multi-platform distribution, including radio, television, live streaming, podcasts, interactive digital content, and on-demand apps on Roku and Apple TV. With over 140 debates and counting, Intelligence Squared U.S. has encouraged the public to "think twice" on a wide range of provocative topics. Author and ABC News correspondent John Donvan has moderated IQ2US since 2008.