A post-ISIS recovery plan for Syria?
With the Iranians and the Russians fully backing Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, it’s clear that the chances of regime change anytime soon are zero. Assuming that Raqqa will be liberated… Read more »
Author Archives: DemDigest
Does culture affect foreign policy – and democratization?
Western ideas—which many in the West believe are universal—collide with the ideals of Middle Eastern societies in ways that aren’t always obvious, argues Steven Cook, a Fellow for Middle… Read more »
Jordan: redefining civil society
A younger generation of educated activists in Jordan is attempting to navigate the middle ground between maintaining the status quo and pushing for regime change – neither of which is… Read more »
Why populism is not fascism
It is a mistake to conflate populism and fascism: populism is a symptom of democracy in trouble, while fascism and other revolutionary movements are the consequence of democracy in crisis,… Read more »
Hungary: fought for freedom, now content with tyranny?
The crushing of Hungary’s anti-Soviet uprising 60 years ago this week stood as a tragic symbol of communist barbarism throughout the Cold War, notes Arch Puddington, head of research for… Read more »
Fundamental challenge facing TransAtlantic democracies
The fundamental challenge facing the United States and Europe is to reaffirm the core Transatlantic alliance so as to ensure that the collective West is more than an exercise in… Read more »
Politicizing Islam: Exploring Means and Objectives
The role of Islam in government continues to be a pressing issue in many Muslim societies, The Stimson Center reports. Since the Arab Spring that began in 2010, the world… Read more »
Anti-corruption watchdog highlights push for reform in Azerbaijan
Baku has four months to rewrite its laws on NGOs or be suspended from the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative — a step that could jeopardise billions of dollars of loans… Read more »
Kremlin’s modus operandi – ideology or kleptocracy?
As the Kremlin gears up for Vladimir Putin’s last re-election bid in 18 months, anti-graft crusader Alexei Navalny (left) has emerged as the conduit of choice for rival factions to… Read more »
Populism the ‘most menacing challenger’ to democracy
European democracy seems to be in jeopardy, and there is no shortage of culprits, notes Takis S. Pappas, associate professor of comparative politics at the University of Macedonia and coeditor… Read more »