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
MAR 4, 2016 • Podcast
A Conversation with Sarah Chayes on Corruption and Global Security
Around the world from Afghanistan to Nigeria, systemic corruption is fueling instability, declares Sarah Chayes in this electrifying conversation. And the United States and other ...
MAR 1, 2016 • Podcast
The Refugee/Migrant Crisis
The migrant/refugee crisis is a defining moral issue for our generation, declares Peter Sutherland, UN special representative on international migration. And proximity should not ...
FEB 22, 2016 • Podcast
Beyond a New Cold War? International Security and the Need for U.S.-Russia Cooperation
The United States must stop its demonization of President Putin, according to members of this distinguished panel, all with long associations with Russia and all ...
FEB 15, 2016 • Podcast
What Went Wrong in the Arab Spring?
In the early days of the Arab Spring, non-violent civil resistance helped topple authoritarian governments in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen. Yet these apparent triumphs were ...
FEB 11, 2016 • Podcast
In Europe's Shadow: Two Cold Wars and a Thirty-Year Journey Through Romania and Beyond
"What is Europe? Where is it going in this current crisis?" The answers are all here, from what Kaplan describes as the redivision of Europe ...
JAN 28, 2016 • Article
Values and the Ethics of International Order
At a time when U.S. primacy is in doubt, when many are concerned that China might become a global political power, when the threat ...
JAN 21, 2016 • Article
The Concept of Humane Democracy and a New Global Order
"Differing from liberal democracy whose political goal is rather negatively conceived in a sense of protecting individual rights, the concept of humane democracy is envisioned ...
JAN 15, 2016 • Podcast
Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox Discusses the Indian Constitution
Quinnipiac professor Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox recently spent three months researching the Indian Constitution in Delhi. In this talk, she details the document's framework, its main architect ...
JAN 15, 2016 • Podcast
Winter is Coming: Why Vladimir Putin and the Enemies of the Free World Must be Stopped
Garry Kasparov is an outspoken critic of Vladimir Putin's authoritarianism, but he is equally critical of the United States and its allies for their unwillingness ...
JAN 12, 2016 • Article
The Death of a Pacifist?: On Akiyuki Nosaka's Death
The Japanese writer Akiyuki Nosaka died last month. He is best known, internationally, for his semi-autobiographical novel "A Grave of Fireflies," made famous by Studio ...