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

Former KGB Headquarters by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/malinki/2514145204/" target=_blank">Malinki</a>

MAY 18, 2011 Podcast

Evgeny Savostiyanov on Dismantling the Moscow Communist KGB

Evgeny Savostiyanov was one of two key appointments made by "reformist" Mayor Gavriil Popov during his brief tenure as mayor of Moscow from 1990-92. Savostiyanov ...

MAY 13, 2011 Podcast

Ethics Matter: Political Scientist and Economist Francis Fukuyama

How does Francis Fukuyama view state formation, normative issues, and human behavior? Does he believe (as Andrew Carnegie did) that history moves in an upward ...

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brostad/2774489190/" target=_blank">The State Duma of Russia</a>, Bernt Rostad

APR 25, 2011 Podcast

Arkady Murashev on "Reforming" the Moscow Police Force (1991-92)

Active in Russian politics since the early days of Perestroika, Arkady Murashev discusses his part in bringing down the Soviet Union and and working towards ...

APR 15, 2011 Podcast

Global Ethics Corner: Assisting Political Parties in the Middle East

In the aftermath of popular uprisings in the Middle East, Western aid-donors are confronted by a difficult dilemma. Should they work with anti-democratic or politically ...

Richard K. Betts

APR 8, 2011 Podcast

The World Ahead: Conflict or Cooperation?

After the Cold War, Fukuyama, Huntington, and Mearsheimer each presented a bold vision of what the driving forces of world politics would be. Yet all ...

APR 8, 2011 Podcast

Global Ethics Corner: Lustration: Purging Civil Servants in New Democracies

In transitions from authoritarian rule to democracy, systems must decide who to exclude from public office. What do you do with those who, without being ...

Flag of Egypt all over Tahrir Square by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ramyraoof/5436339799/" target=_blank">Ramy Raoof </a>

APR 6, 2011 Podcast

The Arab Uprisings: The View from Cairo

As president of the American University of Cairo, Lisa Anderson was a witness to the recent protests in Tahrir Square. In this fascinating talk, she ...

Refugee Camp, Ivory Coast. CREDIT: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/fleshmanpix/5552558271/in/photostream/" target=_blank">Mike Fleshman</a>

APR 1, 2011 Article

April 2011 or April 1994? Seventeen Years Later, Libya is to Ivory Coast as Bosnia was to Rwanda

While all eyes are focused on Libya, we may be headed towards a bloodbath in Ivory Coast similar to that in Rwanda in April 1994. The ...

MAR 16, 2011 Podcast

Media in Contemporary Russia

What is the current situation of journalism in Russia today, where 70 percent of media is owned by the state? The Council welcomes a delegation of ...

MAR 11, 2011 Podcast

Global Ethics Corner: Turkey, Islam, and Democracy

Turkey's democracy has been extolled as a model in the Middle East, but has also been belittled for its creeping authoritarianism. Does Turkey offer hope ...