Sophie Watt

Since the end of the Cold War a wave of democratic reversal has swept across the world, with it bringing many abuses of the human rights which we are guaranteed in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. While this trend towards authoritarianism can affect many different groups and cultures, it is often political, cultural, ethnic, or religious minorities that face the brunt of this abuse. In this Independent Study Unit, I discuss the nations which have begun to shift towards authoritarianism, what allowed them to be successful in doing so, and the impacts that these changes to political systems in nations all around the globe are having on those who are already at an increased level of disadvantage.