Are coups contagious?
Coups have a nasty track record of prompting more coups. Transitional governments in Africa are still struggling with entrenched military privileges — and insurgent and extremist violence continues to proliferate,… Read more »
Author Archives: DemDigest
Learning the hard way about Chinese sharp power
This week, a major university in D.C. found itself in the position of censoring criticism of the Chinese government by removing art posters highlighting Beijing’s human rights abuses during the… Read more »
Myanmar: The protests that can’t be silenced
Since the Feb. 1, 2021, coup, the Tatmadaw, as the military is known, has responded to opposition with what the U.S. State Department has called “abhorrent violence,” shooting protesters, conducting airstrikes and attacking villages, NBC… Read more »
Summit for Democracy: Year of Action Kick-Off Meeting with Civil Society
And other events ……… The U.S. Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development host a Summit for Democracy: Year of Action Kick-Off Meeting with Civil Society. February… Read more »
Reduce asymmetries to protect democratic information space, says RSF
The globalization of news and information has led to an imbalance in which “closed” countries control their information space while it remains open in democratic countries, Reporters Without Borders (RSF)… Read more »
Africa reaps democratic dividend, despite spate of coups
Following military takeovers in five different African countries in the past year, some have suggested that democracy may not be the best form of government on the continent. But Leonard… Read more »
The world – and Olympics – sliding toward authoritarianism
The authoritarian challenge to democracy and human rights is arguably the defining geopolitical story of our time. But rather than oppose this trend, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) seems to… Read more »
Digital democracy by 2035?
Future digital communities will clamp down on divisive anti-social contributions that dampen public participation in democracy and a Digital Bill of Rights will govern at least a share of the… Read more »
Countering susceptibility to foreign malign influence
Supporting independent quality media and civil society while developing funding schemes beyond geographical areas, are just two of the ways in which democratic actors can reduce the impact of foreign… Read more »
Ukraine: ‘Thwart Kremlin aggression today for constructive relations tomorrow’
Most, if not all, policymakers in the democratic West have learned that not sufficiently countering Russian revanchism taught Vladimir Putin that he could get away with more aggression, say the… Read more »