Cuba: a nation in search of a state
When the Castro regime comes to an end, the Cuban people will face the monumental task of building a new political and economic system out of the remnants of the… Read more »
Category: Analysis
Is the age of Middle East ‘regime change’ over?
With the tragic consequences of America’s role in the overthrow of Muammar el-Qaddafi in Libya added to the failures of U.S. intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan, the policy of regime change is being more… Read more »
Iran election underscores rejection of hardliners
President Hassan Rouhani of Iran and his allies appeared Monday to have made strong gains in two national elections, the first to be held since Tehran completed a sweeping nuclear deal with… Read more »
SDG16 – a new era for civil society?
Peace, stability, human rights and effective governance based on the rule of law are important conduits for sustainable development, according to the 16th of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals…. Read more »
Honoring Nemtsov, a call for action
Thousands of people marched in honor of slain opposition politician Boris Nemtsov on February 27, one year after he was shot dead near the Kremlin. Five suspects have been charged… Read more »
Spreading democracy at the touch of a button
During recent elections across Africa, new technologies have been harnessed to help monitor elected officials, bolster democracies and liberate election information, notes Stephen Abbott Pugh, an ICFJ Knight international journalism… Read more »
Constitutional design: vital but insufficient for managing conflict
Institutionalized accountability is vital if constitutions are to be meaningful in preventing and mitigating conflict in Africa, says a leading analyst. African constitutions have increasingly relied on accommodative approaches (i.e…. Read more »
Iran poll balances ‘external loosening’ with ‘internal stiffening’
Iranians headed to the polls Friday in elections made easy for conservatives after sweeping bans that left many pro-reform candidates off the ballots, adding further political pressures on Hassan Rouhani,… Read more »
Chinese labor unrest tests Communist Party authority
An upsurge in industrial militancy in China is presenting a challenge for a Communist Party that bases much of its legitimacy on its ability to manage the economy, Simon Denyer… Read more »
How to control corruption? The European experience
In recent years, the European Union has made an unprecedented effort to transform its periphery by exporting values such as rule of law, democracy and good governance. What should donors… Read more »