1989: ‘Ideological lie’ exposed in democracy’s paradoxical moment
No empire in history has disintegrated as quickly or as bloodlessly as the Soviet one, in the remarkable year that saw the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989…. Read more »
Search Results for: Civil Society
Liberal democracy’s 1989 promise ‘a squandered opportunity’
Two great earthquakes shaped the present global order. The first, in 1989, seemed to promise an irresistible march towards liberal democracy and open markets. The opportunity was squandered by those… Read more »
Hybrid threat: Illiberal non-state actors clamping down on civic activism
1989 marked the end not of history as such, but of a specific chapter in history. Western liberal democracy, which Francis Fukuyama predicted would enjoy eternal supremacy after 1989, now faces an increasingly… Read more »
Defending civic space: A strategic imperative for the international community
Civic space—the fundamental liberties that allow people to gather, communicate, and collectively engage in groups to influence society and politics—is the bedrock of any democracy. But it is increasingly vulnerable,… Read more »
A better way to counter astroturfing: Disinformation, technology, and democracy in transition
How can you distinguish real netizens from participants in a hidden influence campaign on Twitter? It’s not easy, say analysts Franziska Keller, David Schoch, Sebastian Stier and JungHwan Yang. We examined eight hidden propaganda… Read more »
Explaining the global protest wave
Sixty-three people died over the weekend in a crackdown by security forces against ongoing anti-government protests [HT: CFR], according to the semi-official Iraq High Commission for Human Rights. Iraq is… Read more »
Why ceding ground to dictators doesn’t work
The world quickly becomes unsafe in the absence of U.S. power and will. Ceding ground to dictators is destined to work about as well today as it did when it… Read more »
Online disinformation: Finding the digital silver bullet
Facebook is one of the main reasons democracy is in such peril. The company’s algorithms favor the echo chamber, backing a user’s bias. That black hole is so full of… Read more »
What drives democratization? Success of mass protests depends on who is protesting
Many observers fear that democracy is currently at risk, some blaming the less-educated working classes, supposedly more inclined to support authoritarian populist politicians and parties, for the democratic backlash. Political analysts… Read more »
Armenia’s authentic democratic breakthrough faces central dilemma
Nikol Pashinyan’s government, which came to power as a result of Armenia’s Velvet Revolution, has the best chance in the state’s newly independent history of bringing about a sustainable democratic… Read more »