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
The Obama administration has bridled at criticism of a purportedly realist reversion on promoting democracy. But Hillary Clinton’s State Department seems to have overcome an initial reticence to consider civil society groups as serious interlocutors, at least in Pakistan, this anecdote suggests:
Shamila Chaudary — a self-described “backbencher” — had toiled for years as a faceless [read full story]
Posted in Asia, Democracy assistance, NGOs/Civil society, Pakistan, democracy promotion, promoting democracy
By Michael Allen on February 16, 2010
The world’s largest democracy is losing out to its authoritarian neighbors due to its “strategic incoherence” and a chronic inability to project soft power, writes analyst Bharat Verma.
“The simple truth is that Indian democratic values contradict and thereby pose a threat to authoritarian philosophy of both, the Communists in Beijing, and the Islamic fundamentalists in [read full story]
Posted in Asia, China, India, Pakistan, authoritarianism, corruption, democracy promotion, governance, promoting democracy |
By Katherine Bannor on January 25, 2010
National Endowment for Democracy
Currently available opportunities include: Audit Associate, Database/Web Developer, Information Technology Services Manager, and Senior Director of Finance. Further details here.
National Democratic Institute
Currently available international opportunities include: Afghanistan: Reporting/Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Afghanistan: Women’s Political Participation Specialist, Afghanistan:Resident Program Director for Elections and Political Processes, Angola: Resident Program Manager – Legislative Strengthening, [read full story]
Posted in Afghanistan, Africa, Burma, Democracy assistance, Elections, Guinea, Human rights, International Republican Institute, Jobs/Opportunities, NGOs/Civil society, National Democratic Institute, National Endowment for Democracy, Pakistan, democracy, democracy promotion, democracy support, democratization, governance, promoting democracy |
By Michael Allen on December 23, 2009
Is the U.S. neglecting its most natural ally in Asia? Christopher Hitchens thinks so.
President Obama was criticized for bypassing India when he visited China earlier this year. And Pakistan’s resentment at its dependency on the U.S. is only feeding anti-American sentiment, already at a record high, Hitchens suggests:
This will continue to get nastier and more [read full story]
Posted in India, Pakistan, engagement, foreign policy |
By Michael Allen on November 12, 2009
November 16, 2009. U.S. Private and Non-U.S. Funding of Media Development, featuring: Anne Nelson, Author, Experimentation and Evolution in Private U.S. Funding of Media Development; Mary Myers, Author, Funding for Media Development by Major Donors Outside the United States. With comments by: Marjorie Rouse, Internews Network. Moderated by: Marguerite Sullivan, Center for International Media Assistance.
As [read full story]
Posted in Africa, Asia, Backlash, China, Democracy assistance, Egypt, Eurasia, Human rights, International Republican Institute, Islam/politics, Jordan, Latin America and the Carribean, Lebanon, Morocco, NGOs/Civil society, National Democratic Institute, National Endowment for Democracy, Pakistan, Russia, Soft power, Tools/technology, Women, authoritarianism, backsliding, corruption, democracy and development, democracy promotion, democracy support, democratization, dictatorships, dissidents, freedom of expression, governance, media, promoting democracy, rule of law, smart power, state-building | Tagged democracy support, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, International Foundation for Electoral Systems, International IDEA, uyghurs |
By Michael Allen on October 13, 2009
October 14, 2009. Putting Smart Power to Work
The US Global Leadership Coalition is hosting an interactive discussion around the State Department’s new Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR); a blueprint of a smart power approach to U.S. foreign policy. Click here to RSVP. Venue: Willard Hotel, 1401 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC. Program includes: 8:00 A.M. – Breakfast and Keynote; 9:00 [read full story]
Posted in Africa, Analysis, Asia, Backlash, Balkans, China, Democracy assistance, Eurasia, Europe, Events, Failed states, Honduras, Human rights, Islam/politics, Latin America and the Carribean, Middle East and North Africa, NGOs/Civil society, National Endowment for Democracy, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Publications, Russia, Soft power, Tools/technology, Venezuela, Women, authoritarianism, backsliding, communist regimes, corruption, democracy and development, democracy promotion, dissidents, economic crisis, emerging democracies, foreign policy, freedom of expression, governance, promoting democracy, protests, rule of law, smart power, state-building |
By Michael Allen on May 28, 2009
Good governance and the development of robust democratic institutions are vital if the Pakistani state is to roll back the Taliban. Under former president Pervez Musharraff, “a coterie of political loyalists” was empowered in areas like the Swat valley at the expense or locally accountable institutions that had maintained law and order.
The Taliban insurgency has [read full story]
Posted in Asia, Democracy assistance, Failed states, Islam/politics, Labour/labor unions, NGOs/Civil society, Pakistan, corruption | Tagged Center for International Private Enterprise, civil society, democratic institutions, governance, International Republican Institute, labor unions, National Democatic Institute, National Endowment for Democracy, Pakistan Workers Federation, Solidarity Center, Taliban insurgency |
By Michael Allen on May 19, 2009
Freedom House, Radio Free Asia and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
have organized a conference marking the release of a new report: Undermining Democracy: 21st Century Authoritarians. As they note:
In recent years, a distinct set of powerful authoritarian states – including Iran, China, Russia, Venezuela, and Pakistan – have advanced alternatives to democratic models of government. Their [read full story]
Posted in Backlash, China, Democracy assistance, Events, Failed states, Pakistan, Russia, Soft power, Venezuela, authoritarianism, democracy promotion, promoting democracy | Tagged authoritarian resurgence, authoritarianism, Authoritarianism 2.0, authoritarians, china, Freedom House, iran, pakistan, Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Russia, Undermining Democracy, venezuela |
By Michael Allen on May 4, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009. All Day – Conference. The Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy – 10th year anniversary annual conference on “How to Improve Relations With the Muslim World: Challenges and Promises Ahead.” Events begin at 9 a.m. Agenda highlights: — 9 a.m.: Geneive Abdo of the Century Foundation; Cecile Coronato of [read full story]
Posted in Asia, Backlash, Cuba, Cuba, Democracy assistance, Elections, Eurasia, Events, Human rights, Islam/politics, Latin America and the Carribean, Middle East and North Africa, NGOs/Civil society, National Endowment for Democracy, Pakistan, Publications, Russia, authoritarianism, corruption, democracy promotion, dictatorships, dissidents, promoting democracy | Tagged Arab democracy, Building Democracy in Southeast Asia, Center for International Private Enterprise, Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy, civil society, corruption, Democracy and Security, Democracy and Security in Pakistan, Democracy in the Middle East, Democracy in the Muslim World, economic decline and democratic stability in Latin America, Freedom House, Human rights, Journal of Democracy, Moldova, Muslim World, National Endowment for Democracy, pakistan, Russia, Social Factors in Cuba, The Next Founders: Voices of Democracy in the Middle East, Transparency |
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