Category: Civil Society

Explaining advanced democracies’ ‘exceptional resilience’

     

The emergence of authoritarian capitalism and illiberal populism is raising fresh questions about the relationship between democracy, predicated on political equality, and the market, a driver of socio-economic inequality. But… Read more »

‘Hacked World Order’: digital authoritarianism’s ‘profound threat’

     

  In the hands of competent and exploitative forces such as the People’s Republic of China or Facebook, the long march toward enslavement by technology continues apace. …As Richard Fontaine and… Read more »

Ethiopia’s transition: ‘change at the top is not enough’

     

It has been a whirlwind year for Ethiopia since Abiy Ahmed became prime minister, say analysts Ahmed Soliman and Abel Abate Demissie. He has initiated a raft of reforms to… Read more »

Mini-Arab Spring? ‘Khashoggi was right: Arabs still want democracy’

     

Before his death, the late Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was trying to set up several organizations to promote the cause of democracy in the region — particularly one that aimed, among… Read more »

Humanitarian aid agreement ‘could facilitate Venezuela’s transition’

     

  The United States has called on the United Nations to revoke the U.N. credentials of the government of embattled Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and to instead recognize Juan Guaidó… Read more »

Is international community ready to support Sudan’s democratization?

     

After months of protests, President Omar al-Bashir has been forced (HT: Foreign Policy) to step down by the military and is reportedly under house arrest. Bashir has ruled Sudan for 30… Read more »

Tensions in Indonesia: ‘resilient elections, defective democracy’?

     

On the eve of historic elections, a conundrum lies at the heart of Indonesian politics. Successive governments have built one of the most important foundations of a successful democracy: free,… Read more »

Democracies divided over Venezuela’s ‘Mafia State’

     

The power outage that left most of Venezuela without electricity for five days in early March seemed eerily symbolic of the mood among many people there. Living through one of… Read more »

Egypt’s Sisi seeks approval to ‘further institutionalize authoritarianism’

     

Egypt’s military leader, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is in some ways trying to turn the clock back, restoring the six-year presidential term and exempting himself from term limits—which, by the way,… Read more »