Democracy

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

JUN 9, 2021 Podcast

Illiberal Democracy on the Rise: Examining Brazil, Hungary, & India

APR 19, 2022 Podcast

Why Democracy vs. Autocracy Misses the Point, with Jean-Marie Guéhenno

Senior Fellow Anja Kapsersen is joined by Professor Jean-Marie Guéhenno for a conversation about virtual communities and the advent of the age of data.

FEB 23, 2024 Article

What Do We Mean When We Talk About "AI Democratization"?

With numerous parties calling for "AI democratization," Elizabeth Seger, director of the CASM digital policy research hub at Demos, discusses four meanings of the term.

Explore Our Democracy Resources

American War Correspondent, Germany, 1915. CREDIT: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:American_War_Correspondent,_Germany_LCCN2014701695.jpg">Bain News Service/U.S. Library of Congress</a>

MAY 22, 2018 Podcast

The Living Legacy of WWI: The Legacy of American Press Censorship in World War I, with Charles Sorrie

The popular memory of WWI today was basically engineered through propaganda and censorship during the war itself, says Charles Sorrie. Those involved in any war ...

MAY 14, 2018 Podcast

From Cold War to Hot Peace: An American Ambassador in Putin's Russia, with Michael McFaul

As Obama's adviser on Russian affairs, Michael McFaul helped craft the United States' policy known as "reset" that fostered new and unprecedented collaboration between the ...

MAY 10, 2018 Podcast

"End of an Era" in China, with Carl Minzner

"I'm not making an argument that Maoism is coming back; we're very far away from that. But the crucial thing to recognize is just what ...

MAY 7, 2018 Podcast

Understanding the "Duterte Phenomenon" in the Philippines, with John Gershman

Unlike Trump, Duterte came to the presidency with a history in public service and he knew how to run a government, says John Gershman. "I ...

Detail from book cover.

APR 25, 2018 Podcast

Us Vs. Them: The Failure of Globalism, with Ian Bremmer

"The failure of globalism [an ideology of bringing people closer together] is very different than the failure of globalization," says Ian Bremmer. "I don't think ...

APR 23, 2018 Podcast

The People vs. Democracy: Why Our Freedom Is in Danger and How to Save It, with Yascha Mounk

Harvard's Yascha Mounk argues that liberalism and democracy are coming apart, creating new forms of illiberal democracy (democracy without rights) and undemocratic liberalism (rights without ...

APR 10, 2018 Article

Values, Immigration, and the Saudi Alliance

The value of immigration to U.S. national security and the question of whether shared values are necessary for alliance between the United States and ...

Stephanie Sy and Rana Foroohar. CREDIT: Billy Pickett.

APR 3, 2018 Podcast

The Dangers of a Digital Democracy, with Rana Foroohar

The revelations about the misuse of Facebook data have started a pushback against the top five big tech companies: Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google. ...

APR 3, 2018 Article

How to Deal With Xi's China? Engage, but Be Wary

"With the recent moves aimed at consolidating power within the presidency of Xi Jinping, a new era may be beginning in terms of how China ...

APR 2, 2018 Podcast

Liberalism in the Philippines, with Lisandro Claudio

Populist leader President Duterte has killed thousands in his "war on drugs," idolizes Putin, and openly uses fake news and excessive nationalism to consolidate his ...