Category: Democratic institutions

What is liberal about liberal democracy?

     

Speaking at the Athens Democracy Forum, author Yascha Mounk  [a contributor to the National Endowment for Democracy’s Journal of Democracy] gives his recommended reading to anyone seeking an introduction to what… Read more »

Can Ethiopia’s new leader change it from the inside out?

     

The number of people detained over the deadly violence which broke out near Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, on Saturday has risen to 200, BBC News reports (HT: FDD). After taking… Read more »

What’s at stake in Poland’s democracy

     

Poland’s right-wing government has the chance to explain itself to its European Union peers on Tuesday for the second time in three months amid concern over changes to the judiciary… Read more »

How to fight populism? ‘The Renewal of Representation’

     

“The best response to populism is not to attack it. Instead, efforts should be made to improve the quality, transparency and functioning of democratic institutions, which would, in turn, address… Read more »

Escalating domestic and regional tensions threaten Iraq

     

A wave of demonstrations protesting a lack of public services and government corruption have tested Iraq’s burgeoning government, while regional tensions have reached new heights, the Hudson Institute observes. Making… Read more »

Beware the dangers of digital activism

     

Democracy advocates should be aware of the limitations of digital activism, argues Manal al-Sharif, co-founder and leader of the #Women2Drive movement, founder and CEO of Women2Hack Academy, and author of… Read more »

Russia and the West fighting a ‘disinformation-age battle’

     

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis accused Russia on Monday of attempting to influence the outcome of a referendum in Macedonia on changing the country’s name that would open the way… Read more »

Advancing or retarding democracy? Soft power is out; sharp power is in

     

Authoritarian states are attempting to exert influence through sharp power, which typically stems from ideologies that privilege state power over individual liberty and are fundamentally hostile to open debate and independent… Read more »

Hacking democracy or creating change through digital engagement?

     

As the United Nations celebrates the International Day of Democracy on September 15 under the rubric of “Democracy Under Strain,” New York University’s Governance Lab unveils its CrowdLaw Manifesto to strengthen public participation in lawmaking. “This manifesto shares… Read more »

Will democracy win? Liberalism vs. its adversaries

     

The past century has been marked by repeated proclamations of the triumph of democracy. However, they have proved premature. Today, illiberal actors have once more gained footholds on both sides… Read more »