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
SEP 29, 2020 • Podcast
Great Power Competition: What Role Does It Play in the 2020 Presidential Race? with Ali Wyne
Foreign policy may not be in the headlines when it comes to Biden vs. Trump, but U.S-China competition and questions about America's role in ...
SEP 25, 2020 • Article
Searching for a Post-Pandemic Order
In this blog post, Senior Fellow Nikolas Gvosdev reflects on his recent webinar with Ali Wyne of the Atlantic Council. What will the role of ...
SEP 25, 2020 • Podcast
The Doorstep: Financial Scandals, Trump vs. Biden, & What To Do About China
Hosted by award-winning professor of journalism Tatiana Serafin, with international relations scholar and Carnegie Council Senior Fellow Nikolas Gvosdev, The Doorstep is an innovative international ...
SEP 17, 2020 • Podcast
What is Asia to the U.S.? Connecting the Pacific Region to the American Doorstep, with Christopher Hill
In this wide-ranging conversation, Christopher Hill, former U.S. ambassador to South Korea, among other nations, and Senior Fellow Nikolas Gvosdev discuss U.S.-Asian ...
SEP 14, 2020 • Transcript
Protests in Perspective: The Protests Go Global, with Mary L. Dudziak & Brenda Gayle Plummer
The killing of George Floyd and the wave of protests that followed bring to life the current struggle for civil rights, human rights, and social ...
AUG 31, 2020 • Podcast
Protests in Perspective: The Role of the Media, with Danielle K. Kilgo
The racial justice protests have been a huge story for local, national, and international media outlets throughout the summer of 2020. But as public opinion has ...
AUG 25, 2020 • Article
Hard Choices on China
The USGE program has opened its second survey on U.S. foreign policy, and this one has an emphasis on assessing the relative ranking of ...
AUG 14, 2020 • Article
Senator Kamala Harris & Foreign Policy Narratives
Joe Biden's selection of Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate represents a series of shifts in terms of identity and experience. But her foreign ...
AUG 5, 2020 • Article
Human Security is National Security: After the Event
U.S. Naval War College's Professor Derek S. Reveron took part in a Carnegie Council webinar on human security and national security, moderated by Senior ...
JUL 28, 2020 • Article
House Democrats: Ethical Choices and Narratives
With Congressman Eliot Engel having lost his primary election in New York to Jamaal Bowman, the Democrats will need to find a new chair for ...