A FIELD GUIDE FOR IDENTIFYING DE-DEMOCRATISATION IN ITS VARIOUS CAMOUFLAGES AND COSTUMES-THE BOOK IS EQUALLY A MAP FOR HOW TO STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITHOUT POLARITY.
In the map of the world we have long known, the US and Western powers stand at one pole, with Russia and China at the other: the West's unipolar ambitions vs the 'multipolar' aspirations of the Rest.
But do the US and Russia really stand in opposition to each other today? And what about China? Civil liberties activist Kavita Krishnan argues against the tendency to see seismic shifts in the world-whether it is the genocide in Gaza, Russia's war on Ukraine or the US- Israel war on Iran-through the outmoded West vs Rest lens.
She urges our attention instead to the true crisis of our time: a global attempt to undo the established consensus that democracy and human rights are universal. In this project, Trump-era US, Putin's Russia and Xi's China are allies, sharing not just values but also strategies. Krishnan invites you to stand in the shoes of peoples struggling for democracy and justice. From that position, you see clearly how the West vs Rest perspective has for too long forced oppressed peoples of the world to compete for solidarity.
A rare perspective from the Global South on the biggest questions facing the world today, De-democratisation, a Global Story: Script, Actors, Enablers is a re-imagined map for a world based on solidarity and the shared aspiration of democracy.

About the Author

Kavita Krishnan is one of India’s most prominent feminist voices, known for her incisive writing, activism and engagement with questions of democracy, gender justice, human rights and social equality. A widely respected public intellectual, she has been associated with movements advocating women’s rights, freedom of expression, labour rights and civil liberties. Through her essays, books and public interventions, Krishnan examines the intersections of patriarchy, caste, class, nationalism and state power, offering nuanced perspectives on contemporary political and social issues. Her work combines rigorous analysis with a deep commitment to justice and inclusion, making complex debates accessible to a broad readership. An eloquent speaker and influential commentator, she has contributed significantly to discussions on feminism and democratic values in India and beyond. Kavita Krishnan’s writings continue to inspire readers to think critically about society, equality and the possibilities of collective action and social transformation.