Francis Fukuyama: Navigating Identity and Trust in 2025

To attend in person, RSVP here.

On September 17, 2025, the USC Center on Public Diplomacy will host a conversation with Francis Fukuyama, "Navigating Identity and Trust in 2025," featuring one of the most influential thinkers in international relations today.

This presentation will explore the themes of identity, dignity, and social cohesion through the lens of two of Fukuyama’s most celebrated works: Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment and Trust: The Social Virtues and the Creation of Prosperity. The event will feature Francis Fukuyama, Mosbacher Director of the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law and Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University.

Fukuyama will share insights into how identity politics and social trust shape democratic institutions and global stability. CPD Interim Director Julie Duhaut-Bedos will moderate the program.

About Francis Fukuyama

Francis Fukuyama is a renowned American political scientist, author, and academic specializing in international relations, political economy, and democratic governance. Based at Stanford University, he serves as the Mosbacher Director of the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law, Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and Director of the Ford Dorsey Master’s in International Policy.

Fukuyama’s work explores the foundations of political order, the role of identity in modern politics, and the social underpinnings of trust in democratic societies. He is the author of numerous influential books, including the bestselling The End of History and the Last Man (1992), Trust: The Social Virtues and the Creation of Prosperity (1995), and Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment (2018). His writing has shaped global debates on liberal democracy, modernization, and the resilience of institutions in a changing world.

A former researcher at the RAND Corporation and policy planner at the U.S. Department of State, Fukuyama holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Harvard University. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and continues to advise governments, international organizations, and academic institutions worldwide.

To attend in person, RSVP here.

This program is open to all eligible individuals. The USC Center on Public Diplomacy operates all of its programs and activities consistent with the University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Eligibility is not determined based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.