Russia – a ‘hollow superpower’
Vladimir Putin was losing legitimacy even before the economy shriveled [but] with action in Ukraine and Syria, he has made it appear that Russia is the equal—and rival—of America, The… Read more »
Category: Analysis
Shaping the West’s stance toward Global Illiberalism
Today it looks as if the days of the [pro-Kremlin] Russlandverstehers’ unchallenged dominion in explaining Russia to Germany are over, at least on the expert level and in public opinion, analyst… Read more »
Is Russia’s National Character Authoritarian?
The revival of authoritarianism in Russia cannot be explained in terms of differences in deep attitudes toward free markets or democracy, notes Nobel laureate Robert J. Shiller. It’s wrong to… Read more »
Autocracies Failed and Unfailed: strategies for ‘good enough governance’
Successful democratization attempts depend mostly on the interests of local elites, Stanford University’s Stephen D. Krasner argues in Autocracies Failed and Unfailed: Limited Strategies for State Building, the third of the Atlantic… Read more »
Toward a negotiated transition in Syria?
Today, the Ides of March, marks the fifth anniversary of the rebellion in Syria against the Assad regime, notes Elliott Abrams, a Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the… Read more »
Brazil’s corruption scandal a sign of ‘maturing democracy’
Hundreds of thousands of Brazilians took to the streets over the weekend to protest their government and to send a message to the country’s political class: No one is… Read more »
Growing labor unrest worries China’s leaders
Labor unrest is on the rise in China, driven by its economic slowdown and rising expectations for wages and labor rights, and exacerbated by problems in both local governance… Read more »
Obama in Cuba: 90 Miles To Go and Promises to Keep
The Obama administration says it is making it easier for people to travel to Cuba, lifting limits on money travelers can spend there. The announcement, made Tuesday, came just… Read more »
Transatlantic Solidarity Under Stress
New strategic surprises will continue to challenge the paradigms on which the transatlantic security partnership has been built. The forthcoming NATO Warsaw Summit is expected to be critical in enacting… Read more »
Exploiting Disorder: al-Qaeda and the Islamic State
A purely military approach to countering violent jihadist extremism risks entrenching the resentment and victimization of Sunnis and deepening chaos, according to a new report from the International Crisis Group (ICG). The… Read more »