In this talk, Dr. Shanker puts the Self-Reg lens on the current state of democracy, particularly threats to democracy stemming from the recent rise in populist authoritarianism.

• The connection between high levels of stress and increasing appeal of authoritarianism
• How authoritarian populists use rhetoric to put (and keep) audiences in “red brain”
• The role of universal education in maintaining a free and democratic society
• The link between moral, prosocial thinking and the ability of democracies to
create a just society for all
• How Self-Reg can help teachers and parents can support blue brain functioning
and moral development in the youngsters who will be next generation of leaders in our democracy