Mapping Pakistan’s Internal Dynamics
Pakistan poses one of the world’s most significant and vexing geopolitical challenges, as its geographic position at the nexus of the Middle East and Asia, nuclear stockpile, and domestic extremist… Read more »
Category: Democratic institutions
Non-state actors aggravate government crackdowns on civil society
Armed non-state actors, criminal elements and violent extremists—not just governments—are responsible for the increasing crackdown on civil society, notes Shannon N. Green, director and senior fellow of the Human Rights… Read more »
New China law a recognition of NGO power?
China is moving closer this week to a new law that would strictly control thousands of foreign nongovernmental organizations in the country, The New York Times reports: Foreign governments and… Read more »
Is America so bad at promoting democracy?
If you’re a dedicated Wilsonian, the past quarter-century must have been pretty discouraging, argues Stephen M. Walt, the Robert and Renée Belfer professor of international relations at Harvard University. Convinced… Read more »
Political aftershocks hit Ecuador
Ecuador is still reeling from the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck last week, killing 654 people, injuring 16,600, and leaving 25,000 homeless, Vice News reports: Last Wednesday, President Rafael… Read more »
Long-term investment, not rapid intervention, nurtures democracy
Many Americans no longer seem to value the liberal international order that the United States created after World War II and sustained throughout the Cold War and beyond, according to Ivo… Read more »
Egypt: the paradox of repression
Egypt’s military has deployed forces to public landmarks ahead of a protest planned for Monday. At issue: President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi’s agreement to relinquish two islands to Saudi Arabia, CNN reports:… Read more »
Why Congo’s new government is arresting the opposition
The Republic of Congo has issued an arrest warrant for a former rebel leader known as Pastor Ntumi, who’s being held responsible for a gun battle in the capital, Brazzaville,… Read more »
How African governments block social media
A small but increasing group of African governments is blocking social media during elections. The BBC’s Clare Spencer asks why and how this is done and how people get around… Read more »
Global Erosion of Democracy – 2016 Transformation Index
The 2016 Transformation Index BTI of the German Bertelsmann Stiftung ranks 74 out of 129 developing countries as democracies—the highest level since the survey was developed. This fact, however, belies… Read more »