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.
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
FEB 23, 2010 • Podcast
Sovereignty and Human Rights: Rethinking their Interrelationship
This talk took place at the 2009 Carnegie-Uehiro-Oxford Conference, "Human Rights, Democracy, and Democratization." It was part of a session entitled "Human Rights Protection, Democratization, and ...
FEB 20, 2010 • Article
Policy Innovations Digital Magazine (2006-2016): Commentary: The Evolution of Revolution
Revolution is hard work, and lethal. Social media has a communicative role to play in the sophisticated design of systems that will undermine human suffering ...
FEB 19, 2010 • Podcast
Uninhibited, Robust, and Wide-Open: A Free Press for a New Century
Now that U.S. news outlets can instantaneously disseminate information across the world and foreign media have immediate access to the American market, what does ...
FEB 19, 2010 • Podcast
Why Is the Energy Debate So Contentious?
How do we balance the short-term interests at stake in the energy debate with our long-term needs? This short video on ethics asks: Why are ...
FEB 18, 2010 • Podcast
Arsenal of Democracy: The Politics of National Security--From World War II to the War on Terrorism
According to historian Julian Zelizer, partisan fighting has always shaped American foreign policy, and the issue of national security has always been part of our ...
FEB 3, 2010 • Podcast
The Future of Islam
Is Islam compatible with democracy and human rights? Will religious fundamentalism block the development of modern societies in the Islamic world? Georgetown's John L. Esposito ...
FEB 1, 2010 • Article
Obama and Democracy Assistance: Challenges and Responses
Although Obama has largely avoided the term democracy assistance, in fact he has delivered a considered and astute response to overcoming Bush's tarnished legacy--a response ...
JAN 29, 2010 • Podcast
In America, Does Pluralist Democracy Still Work?
Has pluralism in America emphasized private interest over public good? Does the market for ideas need more supervision, or should the market rule?
JAN 26, 2010 • Article
Policy Innovations Digital Magazine (2006-2016): Commentary: Managed Rights, Managed Migration
While international migration is yet to be seen as an international public good, the international regime for orderly movement of people may eventually become a ...
JAN 22, 2010 • Podcast
God and Obama
For President Obama, what is the relation between religion and politics?