Peltason Lecture: In the Realm of the Last Man: Challenges to Global Democracy
Francis Fukuyama
Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow, Stanford University
In conversation with UC Irvine Professors Jeff Kopstein and Richard Arum, Francis Fukuyama will revisit the provocative ideas behind The End of History and the Last Man and explore how the rise of populist movements around the world reflects growing discontent with liberal democracy.
6:00 p.m. Lecture with Q&A to follow | 7:15 p.m. Book Signing
About the Speaker
Francis Fukuyama is the Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at Stanford University’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and one of the world’s leading scholars of democracy, political development, and international affairs. His landmark book, The End of History and the Last Man, sparked one of the defining debates in modern political thought and established him as a leading voice on democracy, governance, and the evolution of political institutions.
Over the past four decades, Fukuyama’s scholarship has shaped academic and public conversations on liberal democracy, state-building, identity, and the changing international order. He is the author of numerous acclaimed books, including Political Order and Political Decay, Identity, Liberalism and Its Discontents, and The End of History and the Last Man.
His work continues to influence scholars, policymakers, and civic leaders around the world as they confront the evolving challenges facing democratic societies.
About the Peltason Lecture
Established in 1999, the Peltason Lecture honors the enduring contributions of Jack and Suzanne Peltason to higher education, public service, and the study of democracy. Created through the generous support of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the lecture brings internationally recognized scholars, policymakers, and public intellectuals to UC Irvine to explore the ideas, institutions, and challenges that shape democratic societies and public life.
Reflecting the Peltasons' lifelong commitment to scholarship, civic engagement, and informed public discourse, the lecture continues to inspire thoughtful dialogue on the defining issues of our time.
Contact: Melissa Churlonis, mchurlon@uci.edu
Sponsors: UC Irvine Jack W. Peltason Center for the Study of Democracy, School of Social Sciences Dean’s Leadership Society, Center for Civic Flourishing
