From forest fires in the Amazon to a mob storming the presidential palace, scholars warn Brazil could be at a tipping point. Dr. Smith discusses these threats, but also Brazil’s hopeful future. As an old saying has long held that, “Brazil is the country of the future — and it always will be.” But what future? Join Dr. Smith, an expert on both democracy and the environment in Brazil, to discuss Brazilians’ hard work to control deforestation and shore up the country’s democracy, before it’s too late.

Amy Erica Smith is an associate professor of political science, as well as a Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean’s Professor at Iowa State University. She is also currently an Andrew Carnegie Fellow. Professor Smith’s research examines how ordinary people understand and engage in politics: from Latin America to Kenya to Oman. She is the author of three books and numerous articles, and her research has been recognized with awards including from Fulbright, the Luce Foundation, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and the National Science Foundation.