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 alarming 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

Kumi Naidoo

SEP 27, 2016 Podcast

Kumi Naidoo on Human Rights and the Impact of Climate Change

Kumi Naidoo's activism began at 15 years old, when he risked his life to protest against apartheid in his native South Africa. The former Greenpeace executive ...

USS "John S. McCain" and Philippine navy frigates BRP "Gregaorio del Pilar" & "Ramon Alcaraz" (Top to Bottom), South China Sea, 2014. <br>CREDIT: <a href="http://bit.ly/2cKolI3">U.S. Pacific Fleet</a> <a href="http://bit.ly/1jNlqZo">(CC)</a>

SEP 20, 2016 Podcast

The Philippines, the South China Sea, and the Many Sides of President Duterte

Richard Heydarian, of Manila's De La Salle University, discusses the Philippines' landmark legal victory against China in the South China Sea dispute, and why the ...

SEP 13, 2016 Podcast

U.S. Elections & Brexit: Can Liberalism Survive?

Why are liberal values eroding across the world? Will this continue? Realist Stephen Walt says maybe not, if the U.S. can set a good ...

Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte with a chart illustrating the drug trade network, July 2016. CREDIT: <a href="http://bit.ly/2bW3D42">King Rodriguez/Wikimedia</a>

SEP 8, 2016 Podcast

What to Make of Duterte's Philippines

John Gershman of NYU discusses with Carnegie Council's Devin Stewart the state of Filipino politics since the election of Rodrigo Duterte and where the country ...

AUG 30, 2016 Podcast

Robert Kaplan on the Underlying Forces that Drive our "Post-Modern" World

"To understand the events of the next 50 years, then, one must understand environmental scarcity, cultural and racial clash, geographic destiny, and the transformation of war." ...

AUG 29, 2016 Podcast

Update from Ukraine

Dr. Petro discusses the violence in Crimea, and Ukraine's economic and political stalemate. For long-term stability, Ukraine has to reconcile with Russia, he says. "There's ...

U.S. Marine in Iraq. CREDIT: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/dvids/3113578051/">DVIDSHUB</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/"> (CC)</a>

AUG 25, 2016 Podcast

Asha Castleberry on the 2016 Election and the Fight Against ISIS

U.S. Army veteran Asha Castleberry discusses veterans' reactions to the 2016 presidential campaign, and also the ongoing U.S. anti-ISIS military campaign, which is preparing ...

JUL 26, 2016 Podcast

Japan's Relationship with its Past and Future

Prime Minister Abe is the leading member of the small but powerful group Nippon Kaigi, which wants to turn its back on the international community ...

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. CREDIT: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/csis_er/8509604657">CSIS</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">(CC)</a>

JUL 14, 2016 Podcast

Japan's Politics: A Move toward Nationalism or more of the Status Quo?

Was Prime Minister Abe's landslide victory in the July elections a vote of confidence in his ability to jump-start Japan's stagnant economy, or simply a ...

CREDIT: <a  href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeman04/15855236526/sizes/l">Gerry Lauzon</a> (<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">CC</a>)

JUN 30, 2016 Podcast

A World History of Political Violence

Rachel Kleinfeld discusses with Devin Stewart her research--which took her to five continents over the past three years--and forthcoming book on how violence is perpetuated ...