Applebaum and Will Discussed Democracy at SMU
Fareed Zakaria moderated a sold-out lecture on the state of democracy and global politics at Southern Methodist University.
Updated on Oct. 10, 2026 in Lecture and Seminars
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Journalist Fareed Zakaria moderated a sold-out lecture featuring Anne Applebaum and George Will at Southern Methodist University. The speakers explored the status of democracy, presidential power, and the war in Ukraine.
Why it matters
The discussion highlighted systemic pressures on democratic institutions, including how the rapid delivery of information contributes to political instability. The panelists also evaluated the historical trajectory of U.S. executive authority.
The event at Southern Methodist University was a sell-out, drawing a capacity crowd to hear the panel discuss geopolitical and domestic issues. The engagement focused on the shift in U.S. and global political climates.
The players
Fareed Zakaria
He is a prominent journalist and author known for hosting a weekly international affairs program.
Anne Applebaum
She is a journalist and historian recognized for her extensive work on the history of totalitarianism.
George Will
He is a long-standing conservative commentator and Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper columnist.
Southern Methodist University
This private research university is located in Dallas, Texas.
The details
The conversation centered on whether the expansion of presidential power functions through pendulum or ratchet dynamics, with the speakers analyzing global stability and the ongoing war in Ukraine. They also revisited the impact of the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol on modern political discourse.
Timeline
The lecture took place on October 9, 2026.
The U.S. Capitol attack occurred on January 6, 2021.
Industry Dynamics
The event reflects the broader cultural trend of using high-profile academic and public forums to process major political milestones. This follows the industry-wide shift of media organizations leaning into live events to contextualize the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Attendees at the Dallas event gained firsthand access to a high-level analysis of current global and domestic political trajectories. Future lecture-goers can expect similar sold-out engagements to require early ticket reservation to ensure participation.
The takeaway
The panel emphasized that the speed of information flow is a critical driver of modern political instability. These insights encourage citizens to critically evaluate how they consume news to better understand the durability of their democratic systems.
Further reading
For more on similar events, see the Lecture and Seminars section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Daily Campus.
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