Seána Glennon: Upheaval in America shows why we need to talk as well as protest

The rallying cry for a better society needs to find room for deliberators as well as protesters on the street

Thousands of protesters gathered outside the GPO in Dublin to protest against the death of George Floyd in the United States before marching to the US Embassy

This has been a year of pandemic, populism and protest. As the coronavirus has spread, the world’s authoritarian leaders have flexed their muscles. Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s populist prime minister, gained the power to rule by decree; China has seized the opportunity to tighten its grip on Hong Kong, approving national security legislation that would operate to quell pro-democracy protests; and US president Donald Trump has consistently attempted to downplay the gravity of the virus, suggesting ...