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 10, 2010
Iran’s Green Movement should reach out to the country’s workers to expand support amongst the country’s poor and working families, opposition leader Mir-Hossein Mousavi said recently.
“The fate of the movement should be tied to the fate of all walks of life – in particular the two groups in charge of [the] economy and education, meaning [read full story]
Posted in Featured, Iran, Islam/politics, Labour/labor unions, Middle East and North Africa, Solidarity Center, solidarity |
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 26, 2010
An aggressive campaign of covert intimidation was a factor in the low turnout for the recent 22 Bahman protests, Green Movement activists suggest.
RFE/RL’s Iranian Service, Radio Farda gives an insight into the regime’s intimidating tactics, detailing a phone call apparently received from Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence.
The full transcript is available here. This is an excerpt:
– [read full story]
Posted in Iran, Middle East and North Africa, authoritarianism | Tagged 22 Bahman protests, Green movement, Radio Farda |
By Michael Allen on February 12, 2010
The Islamic Republic’s repressive capacity, aided by the Green movement’s tactical inflexibility, weak leadership and strategic myopia, mean that the balance of advantage has shifted to the regime in the aftermath of this week’s events.
But growing tensions between Iran’s clerical establishment and the Revolutionary Guards, exacerbated by the unresolved challenge of the Green opposition, are [read full story]
Posted in Democracy assistance, Featured, Human rights, Iran, Islam/politics, Middle East and North Africa, NGOs/Civil society, National Endowment for Democracy, democracy, democracy support, dissidents, foreign policy, protests | Tagged ayatollahs, Geneive Abdo, Green movement, Iran's Green movement, Iranian civil society, Jamsheed Choksy, Mardo Soghom, Ramin Jahanbegloo, regime change, Revolutionary Guards |
By Michael Allen on February 12, 2010
Democracy assistance practitioners tend to be wary of regime change.
Recent experience, not least during the Third Wave of democratic transitions, suggests that sustainable democratization is more of a process than an event and the disappointing trajectory of some color revolutions has further fed skepticism of such dramatic ruptures.
So it’s understandable that some observers have [read full story]
Posted in Analysis, Backlash, Human rights, Iran, Islam/politics, Middle East and North Africa, color revolutions, dissidents, protests |
By Michael Allen on February 11, 2010
Iran imposed a “near-total information blockade” as part of its efforts to suppress dissident voices during today’s 31st anniversary commemoration of the Islamic revolution.
“Internet, mobile phone, e-mail, and SMS services in Iran have reportedly been disrupted,” RFE/RL reports, “apparently in an attempt by authorities to prevent opposition activists from communicating and organizing protests.”
Google reported a “sharp [read full story]
Posted in Backlash, Human rights, Iran, Islam/politics, Middle East and North Africa, Tools/technology, freedom of expression, media |
By Michael Allen on February 11, 2010
The significance of today’s largely abortive demonstrations for the Iran’s Green movement is exercising analysts and activists. The Islamic Republic’s security apparatus managed to stifle the opposition’s attempt to hijack the 31st anniversary celebrations of the Islamic revolution.
“It’s pretty clear that Greens everywhere will feel demoralized… The overall feeling is one of disappointment,” a well-placed [read full story]
Posted in Featured, Iran, Islam and democracy, Islam/politics, Labour/labor unions, Middle East and North Africa, autocrats, democracy, democratization, dictatorships, dissidents, protests | Tagged 22 Bahman, Abbas Milani, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Basij, democracy movement, democratic change, democratic revolution, Fatimeh Haghighatjoo, Green movement, Green opposition, Iran Democracy Project, Islamic Republic, labor, radicalism of totalitarians, radicalization, Rasool Nafisi, Reuel Marc Gerecht, Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Revolutionary Guards, strikes, Velayat Faqih |
By Michael Allen on February 11, 2010
Iran’s regime largely succeeded in stifling the Green opposition’s attempt to hijack the 31st anniversary celebrations of the Islamic revolution. The government bussed in thousands of subsidized supporters for the official rally, many of whom were given free food (as this footage shows).
Analysts attribute the low turnout to the recent hangings of opposition activists, threats [read full story]
Posted in Featured, Iran, Islam/politics, authoritarianism, protests |
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