Author Archives: DemDigest

Ukraine: from ‘oligarchic pluralism’ to real democracy?

     

A comedian and political newcomer has won (HT: Foreign Policy) the first round of Ukraine’s presidential elections. Volodymyr Zelensky, a comedian who portrayed himself as a fresh face who would… Read more »

Exporting Putinism?

     

  Russia’s “appeal as an opponent of regime change and supporter of existing governments endears it to all governments in the area, authoritarian and democratic,” Georgetown University’s Angela Stent writes… Read more »

Reporting from front lines of authoritarianism

     

In an era of resurgent authoritarianism and the growing influence of state propaganda, developing independent journalistic talent is more important than ever. The Vaclav Havel Journalism Fellowship is an initiative… Read more »

The future of democracy assistance: a role for the United States?

     

  Differing approaches to foreign policy entail different stances on democracy promotion, observers suggest. For example, the Restraint school of thought advocates for a more “realist” approach to soft power… Read more »

China’s influence in Africa threatens media freedom

     

The murder in January of investigative journalist Ahmed Hussein Suale-Divela in Ghana, one of Africa’s most stable and democratic countries, shocked the country and journalists around the world, the National… Read more »

Why is social media compatible with authoritarianism?

     

Once hailed as a force for human empowerment and liberation, social media—and the various related digital tools that enable people to search for, access, accumulate, and process information—have come to… Read more »

Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse? Populism, nativism, protectionism & isolationism

     

Stanford University’s Hoover Institution this week launched a yearlong speaker series – “A Century of Ideas for a Free Society” – to address its mission and core values, including “individual,… Read more »