Author Archives: DemDigest

Militancy, Border Security, and Democracy in the Sahel

     

The permeability of borders, along with political vacuums and economic marginalization in the hinterlands, has transformed border communities in the Maghreb-Sahel into epicenters of identity-driven politics, militancy, violent conflict, and… Read more »

Promoting Democracy in Central Asia and the Caucasus: How Have We Done?

     

  The Freedom Support Act of 1992 (Freedom for Russia and Emerging Eurasian Democracies and Open Markets Support Act) made the “promotion of democracy” a main strategic priority of the US… Read more »

Why Libya’s transition failed

     

The ultimate blame for Libya’s failed transition must lay with Muammar Gaddafi, who bequeathed Libyans a country without a state, notes a leading analyst. Leaders of the new Libya found it… Read more »

Muted Modernists? Saudi Islamists ‘campaign for democracy’

     

The Saudi regime watched the 2011 Arab Spring unfold across the Middle East with deep unease. As the year progressed, the regime responded by rounding up moderate Islamists because of… Read more »

Knight International Journalism Award – call for nominations

     

Each November, the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) honors outstanding colleagues with the Knight International Journalism Award at our annual gala in Washington, D.C., writes Ben Colmery, Director, Knight International Journalism Fellowships: We’re… Read more »

Roma Exclusion: A European Democratic Deficit

     

The Roma are a minority group highly concentrated in East-Central Europe, where they are over-represented among the poor. Possessing lower than average incomes and life expectancies, most Roma live in… Read more »

Hollowing out democracy: Hungary and beyond

     

Following the revolutions of 1989 that brought down communism in Central Europe, it appeared that the region was on the path to the consolidation of liberal democracy. This optimism, however,… Read more »