Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul joins us on WorldNow with Jim Falk to explore the global rise of autocracy, new challenges posed by an assertive Russia and China, and an increasingly insular America – and what it all means for democracy and security in a changing world.

In Autocrats vs. Democrats, Ambassador McFaul makes the case for democracy and defines the threats posed by China, Russia, and America’s shift to isolationism to the global international order as we know it.

Join us November 12^th to hear exclusive insight from Ambassador McFaul, the leading Russia and Eurasian affairs expert, on his forthcoming book and his vision of American leadership on the world stage.

The details:

When: Wednesday, November 12^th | 7:00pm-8:00pm Eastern / 6pm Central
Where: Zoom Webinar
Tickets: No charge | RSVP Required

Reserve your spot today

Meet the Author

Ambassador Michael McFaul
U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation (2012-2014)

Ambassador McFaul is a Professor of Political Science, Director of Freeman Spogli Institute & Hoover Senior Fellow all at Stanford University. He is also an international affairs analyst for NBC News.

Previously, he served in the Obama administration as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Russian and Eurasian Affairs at the National Security Council at the White House (2009–2012) and then as U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation in (2012-2014). He has authored several books, including, most recently, the New York Times bestseller From Cold War to Hot Peace: An American Ambassador in Putin’s Russia.

Meet the Host

Jim Falk is President Emeritus of the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. Now residing in Santa Fe, NM, he is Vice Chairman of the Board of Global Santa Fe. In addition to hosting WorldNow with Jim Falk, Jim produces and hosts The Forum, a weekly talk show on KSFR-FM, Santa Fe Public Radio. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

About the Book

Autocrats vs. Democrats: China, Russia, America, and the New Global Disorder by Michael McFaul

A bold, clear-eyed look at how the autocracies of China and Russia are challenging the current global order, and how America’s future depends on successfully confronting this threat.

The rise of China, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the reelection of President Donald Trump have reinforced a gloomy yet growing consensus: the old global order has ended, and a new Cold War has begun.

In this sweeping account of great power competition between the United States, China, and Russia over the past three centuries, Michael McFaul—former ambassador to Russia and international affairs analyst for NBC News—argues persuasively that today’s challenges require fresh thinking, not constrained by distant memories of the Cold War or the nationalist dreams of MAGA.

One of the preeminent thinkers on American foreign policy for decades, McFaul crafts a new grand strategy for America in this age of global disorder. Acknowledging how Xi’s China, Putin’s Russia, and Trump’s America are upending the current international system, Autocrats vs Democrats makes the case against America’s retreat from the world, detailing why:

• Russia’s disruptive ambitions should not be underestimated.
• China’s capabilities should not be overestimated.
• Trump’s shift toward isolationism and autocracy will weaken America’s place in the world.

At once a clarion call for American diplomacy and a forceful rebuttal of the Trump administration’s policies, Autocrats vs Democrats provides a nuanced assessment of the China and Russia threats, as well as a bold vision for renewing America’s leadership on the world stage.

Pre-order a copy of Autocrats vs. Democrats, coming October 28^th, 2025