What’s behind the populist surge?
Populism – once associated mainly with Latin America – is now part of the political mainstream in western and eastern Europe. What’s behind this surge? Cristóbal Rovira Kaltwasser and… Read more »
Category: Analysis
Chávez’s legacy: Venezuela heading for collapse
Venezuela‘s army is to be backed by civilians grouped into ancillary security units, to tackle food shortages and public unrest, under a state of emergency decree published on Monday, reports suggest:… Read more »
Democracy support strategies in Africa are effective
The human and financial stakes are high in democracy promotion. It is not enough to know which contexts are most ripe or hostile for democratic development. Effective democracy promotion… Read more »
Democracy in Asia the ‘unspoken issue’ in TPP agenda
The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a national security imperative that is likely to enhance prospects for advancing democracy in Asia, analysts suggest. After World War II, the U.S., having learned… Read more »
Durability of democracy’s appeal is ‘biggest known unknown’
The durability of free-market democracy’s global appeal is “the biggest known unknown” about the next generation global economy, says a prominent analyst. Five significant political economy questions stand out, Tuft… Read more »
Myanmar: transition, competition and trust
The Obama administration plans to announce Tuesday that the U.S. is easing sanctions on Myanmar to make it easier for American companies to do business there, The Wall Street Journal… Read more »
Russia: ‘Foreign Agents’: Mythical Enemies and Society’s Real Losses
A leading U.S. Senator is expressing concern over threats to Russia’s civil society, including independent citizen election monitoring group Golos, ahead of Russia’s September 2016 parliamentary elections. “I am deeply concerned… Read more »
China’s hard line a sign of weakness not strength
In an illuminating anecdote that David Shambaugh heard from two Chinese officials who witnessed an encounter between Hu Jintao and Russian leader Vladimir Putin with Beijing’s increasingly harsh scrutiny of… Read more »
Venezuela: OAS should invoke Democratic Charter
The Organization of American States should invoke the Inter-American Democratic Charter to press Venezuela to restore judicial independence and the protection of fundamental rights, Human Rights Watch said today in… Read more »
Russia’s Road to Terror and Dictatorship
In December 2013, David Satter became the first American journalist to be expelled from Russia since the Cold War. The Moscow Times said it was not surprising he was expelled,… Read more »