Shahidul Alam is many things: world-class photographer, Bangladeshi human rights activist, teacher, and author. He is also a provocateur, whose words and pictures force one—sometimes gently, sometimes less so—to confront reality.

Alam is also part of the Tällberg Foundation's Global Leadership Network. In that capacity, he recently delivered a short provocation reflecting on the realities of democracy and the challenges of freedom.

This is not the usual New Thinking for a New World conversation, but we think you'll find it worth a listen.