Framing ethical perspectives
Democracy is a form of government in which political control is given to the people, whether directly or through the election of governing officials. Currently, large numbers of people have lost faith in this form of government and some elected officials have been working to dismantle democratic institutions. Our programs, events, and experts strive to better understand this development.
Featured Democracy Resources
State of global democracy, U.S. global engagement, and more
FEB 6, 2026 • Article
Trump and the Gaslighting of American Realism
APR 9, 2026 • Article
Realism vs. Pragmatism: Understanding America’s New Rhetorical Landscape
Amid Trump's fiery rhetoric and debates over "realism," Professor Jason Ralph writes that "pragmatism" may offer a better alternative for the American public.
SEP 11, 2025 • Video
Post-Liberal American Power
In the first event in our "Values & Interests" series, an expert panel examines the question: Has Trump 2.0 ushered in an era of post-liberal American power?
Related Initiatives
Ethics & International Affairs Journal
Ethics & International Affairs is the quarterly journal of Carnegie Council. It aims to close the gap between the theory and practice of ethics.
Explore Our Democracy Resources
OCT 22, 2018 • Transcript
The Northern Ireland We Want--the Opportunities
In this session of the International Seminar on Wellbeing in Northern Ireland, economist Neil Gibson of Ernst & Young, Katrina Godfrey, Department of Infrastructure, Northern Ireland, ...
OCT 19, 2018 • Podcast
Fight for Liberty, with Max Boot, Philip Bobbitt, Garry Kasparov, & Bret Stephens
We live in a time when liberal democracy is on the defensive, not only in the U.S. but around the world. Yet these speakers, ...
OCT 18, 2018 • Podcast
Global Ethics Weekly: Science Fiction, Micro-democracy, & Information, with Malka Older
Malka Older has spent time as an aid worker in Darfur, Indonesia, and Japan, as was discussed in last week's podcast, but she also has ...
OCT 16, 2018 • Podcast
The Nationalist Revival: Trade, Immigration, and the Revolt Against Globalization, with John B. Judis
Why has nationalism suddenly returned with a vengeance around the world? Why are nationalists so angry about free trade and immigration? Why has globalization become ...
OCT 9, 2018 • Podcast
Chinese and Russian "Political Warfare" with Tom Mahnken and Toshi Yoshihara
Tom Mahnken and Toshi Yoshihara of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) discuss China and Russia's "authoritarian political warfare." "Not only do they ...
SEP 25, 2018 • Podcast
Making Foreign Policy Relevant Again, with Asha Castleberry & Ali Wyne
Has a gap opened up between the U.S. national security community and the general public over foreign policy? If so, why? How can we ...
SEP 24, 2018 • Article
The Ethics of the "Doorstep"
The "doorstep test" requires policymakers to be able to articulate how, and to what degree, something happening in the world connects to the day-to-day experience, ...
SEP 24, 2018 • Podcast
Malaysian & Indonesian Elections, with Meredith Weiss & Jeremy Menchik
This fascinating conversation begins with a discussion of the critical importance of Southeast Asia, including the rise of China and its ambitions in the region. ...
SEP 20, 2018 • Podcast
Korea & the "Republic of Samsung" with Geoffrey Cain
Korea expert Geoffrey Cain talks about his forthcoming book, "The Republic of Samsung," which reveals how the Samsung dynasty (father and son) are beyond the ...
SEP 17, 2018 • Podcast
Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment, with Francis Fukuyama
The rise of global populism is the greatest threat to global democracy, and it's mainly driven not by economics, but by people's demand for public ...