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By Michael Allen on March 15, 2010
The United States remains committed to promoting democracy in the Middle East, a senior State Department official insisted today, but the pace and content of reform will be determined by local actors and the specific conditions within Arab states.
“Economic and social development are prerequisites for sustainable democracy,” said Tamara Wittes, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State [read full story]
Posted in Democracy assistance, Elections, Featured, NGOs/Civil society, National Endowment for Democracy, authoritarianism, autocrats, democracy, democracy and development, democracy promotion, democracy support, democratic reform, democratization, foreign policy, promoting democracy | Tagged Arab exceptionalism, authoritarian regimes, democracy promotion, democratic reform, democratic values in the Arab world, Middle East Partnership Initiative, political liberalization, promoting Arab democracy, promoting democracy in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Tamara Wittes |
By Michael Allen on March 15, 2010
Tuesday, March 16 – 10:00 am to 11:30 a.m. Disappearing God Gap: Religion’s Role in the 2008 Presidential Elections and Beyond – The Brookings Institution, Saul/Zilkha Rooms, 1775 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC – In a new book by religion and politics experts Corwin Smidt and Kevin den Dulk, The Disappearing God Gap? (Oxford University [read full story]
Posted in Africa, Analysis, Asia, China, Democracy assistance, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Elections, Eurasia, Europe, Events, Fragile States, Global, Human rights, Iran, Iraq, Islam and democracy, Islam/politics, Latin America and the Carribean, Middle East and North Africa, NGOs/Civil society, National Endowment for Democracy, Pakistan, Regions, Religion and Democracy, Russia, Ukraine, Women, Zimbabwe, accountability, authoritarianism, autocrats, color revolutions, democracy, democracy and development, democracy promotion, democracy support, democratic reform, democratization, dictatorships, dissidents, economic crisis, emerging democracies, foreign policy, freedom of expression, governance, legislatures, media, promoting democracy, religious freedom, rule of law, sanctions, solidarity | Tagged Analyzing the Political Elite of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Democracy in Ukraine, Freedom House, Governance in the West Bank, Internet freedom, Islamism and Neo-secularism, Michael Posner, Obama Administration’s Russia Policy, Politics, post-Orange Revolution transition, radicalization, Russian Anti-Americanism, Security and Human Rights in the North Caucasus, Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, Transparency, Why There Is No ‘European Islam’, Zimbabwe |
By Michael Allen on March 11, 2010
Promoting democracy is a vital element in the war of ideas against violent extremism, writes James Glassman, former U.S. undersecretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs.
Public diplomacy and public relations are not the same thing, and efforts to improve the image of the United States will be less effective than active solidarity with [read full story]
Posted in Democracy assistance, Iran, Islam and democracy, Islam/politics, Middle East and North Africa, NGOs/Civil society, Religion and Democracy, democracy, democracy promotion, democracy support, foreign policy, promoting democracy, solidarity, totalitarianism | Tagged civil society, infrastructure of democracy’, Iran’s Green Movement, James Glassman, Muslim democrats, rule of law, Saad Eddin Ibrahim, totalitarian, violent extremism, war of ideas |
By Michael Allen on March 11, 2010
Today’s must-read is Vin Weber’s demolition of a recent critique of the National Endowment for Democracy by ill-informed libertarian Shikha Dalmia which rehashed some old myths about the NED and democracy assistance in general.
He’s rather gentle on Ms. Dalmia’s shaky grasp of international politics (she entertains the illusion that “Communism has … evaporated, and democracy [read full story]
Posted in Democracy assistance, NGOs/Civil society, National Endowment for Democracy, democracy, democracy promotion, dissidents, foreign policy, north korea, promoting democracy |
By Michael Allen on March 5, 2010
Innovative approaches to democracy support in the Middle East and North Africa, voter registration systems and democracy activists’ testimonies are but a few of the initiatives and publications highlighted in the latest newsletter from the World Movement for Democracy.
Later this month, the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy launches its new publication, “Beyond Orthodox Approaches – [read full story]
Posted in Analysis, Backlash, Democracy assistance, Elections, Middle East and North Africa, NGOs/Civil society, accountability, corruption, democracy, democracy promotion, democracy support, democratization, emerging democracies, foreign policy, freedom of expression, promoting democracy |
By Michael Allen on March 4, 2010
National Endowment for Democracy
Currently available opportunities include: Administrative Assistant – CIMA, Program Assistant – Asia, Program Assistant – Europe, Program Officer for Asia, Program Officer for Latin America and the Caribbean, Database/Web Developer, and Senior Director of Finance. Further details here.
International Republican Institute
Currently available DC-based opportunities include: Online Communications Specialist, Deputy Press Secretary, Program Assistant [read full story]
Posted in Africa, Asia, Backlash, Center for International Private Enterprise, China, Democracy assistance, Eastern Europe, Elections, Eurasia, Europe, Funding Sources, Global, International Republican Institute, Latin America and the Carribean, Middle East and North Africa, NGOs/Civil society, National Democratic Institute, National Endowment for Democracy, Religion and Democracy, Russia, Solidarity Center, Tools/technology, Transparency, Women, accountability, authoritarianism, democracy, democracy and development, democracy promotion, democracy support, democratic reform, democratization, dissidents, emerging democracies, foreign policy, freedom of expression, promoting democracy, religious freedom, rule of law |
By Michael Allen on March 3, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010 – 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM – The Iraqi Elections & the Changing Politico-Security Environment in Iraq – Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1779 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W. – Featuring keynote speaker Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, this one day conference presents a number of panels and experts discussing key issues of security and [read full story]
Posted in Africa, Analysis, Asia, Backlash, Blogs, China, Democracy assistance, Egypt, Elections, Fragile States, Iran, Iraq, Islam and democracy, Islam/politics, Journal of Democracy, Middle East and North Africa, NGOs/Civil society, National Democratic Institute, National Endowment for Democracy, Publications, Religion and Democracy, Russia, Soft power, Tools/technology, Women, accountability, authoritarianism, autocrats, backsliding, color revolutions, corruption, democracy, democracy and development, democracy promotion, democracy support, democratic reform, democratization, dictatorships, dissidents, economic crisis, emerging democracies, foreign policy, governance, media, promoting democracy, protests, religious freedom, rule of law, smart power, solidarity, state-building | Tagged Broadcasting in UN Blue: The Unexamined Past and Uncertain Future of Peacekeeping Radio, Center for International Media Assistance, Dalia Ziada, democracy in Mexico, Democratization in Africa, freedom of the internet for democracy, Human rights, Human Rights in the North Caucasus, Iraqi Elections, Islam and Religious Freedom, Islamic Republic of Iran, Mark Lagon, Mexican Media Under Attack, Mobilizing for Women's Rights and Eliminating Violence against Women, National Endowment for Democracy, Restoring America’s Reputation, Second Geneva Summit for Human Rights, velayat-e-faqih, Women in a Changing China, Women's Learning Partnership, Yemen, Zalmay Khalilzad |
By Michael Allen on February 25, 2010
The Obama administration is very sensitive to criticism that engaging autocratic states entails a “realist” calculation to concede human rights and democracy for cooperation on geostrategic policy priorities, writes James Traub.
He quotes a senior official:
“If we were to not engage regimes with authoritarian tendencies, to lecture them from Washington, they would suddenly therefore decide to [read full story]
Posted in National Democratic Institute, autocrats, democracy, democracy promotion, democracy support, engagement, foreign policy, promoting democracy |
By Michael Allen on February 25, 2010
The most significant source of dispute between Russia and the West today is not Iran or Afghanistan but Europe’s contested neighborhood, writes Ron Asmus, executive director of the Transatlantic Centre of the German Marshall Fund.
The democratic West’s “moral and strategic vision of the 1990s has exhausted itself and come to a grinding halt after the [read full story]
Posted in Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Russia, democratization, emerging democracies, foreign policy |
By Web on February 23, 2010
Wednesday, February 24 – Saturday, February 27 – “Voices from Afghanistan” Exhibit – Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. SE – On February 24, a new exhibit at the Library of Congress will display some of the thousands of hand-painted scrolls and letters received by Radio Azadi, RFE/RL’s popular Afghan radio station. [read full story]
Posted in Afghanistan, Democracy assistance, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Elections, Failed states, Fragile States, Haiti, Human rights, Iraq, Islam and democracy, Islam/politics, Kenya, Labour/labor unions, Middle East and North Africa, NGOs/Civil society, National Endowment for Democracy, Regions, Transparency, Women, authoritarianism, corruption, democracy, democracy and development, democracy promotion, democracy support, democratic reform, democratization, dissidents, engagement, foreign policy, freedom of expression, governance, media, promoting democracy, protests, rule of law, solidarity | Tagged and Google, Broadcasting in UN Blue, Center for International Media Assistance, Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy, china, counter-extremism, Democracy & Democracy Promotion, Democracy Promotion in the Muslim World, democratic governance, Geneva Summit for Human Rights, International Labour Organization, Iraqi Elections, Islam and Religious Freedom, Lech Walesa, National Endowment for Democracy, Post-Conflict Reconstruction, Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow, Rethinking Human Development, Role of the U.S. in Encouraging Pro-Democracy Movements, Tariq Ramadan, the Internet, Vaclav Havel, Violence against Women, Voices from Afghanistan, Women’s Rights in the Middle East and North Africa |
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