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Democracy assistance
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By Michael Allen on September 1, 2009
The Obama administration has come under fire from democracy advocates for downplaying democracy as a foreign policy priority. Others suggest that it remains committed to promoting democracy as an objective, while recalibrating its approach.
But the administration will ultimately be judged on its accomplishments rather than its rhetoric, write Richard Burt and Dimitri K. Simes. [read full story]
Posted in Democracy assistance, Human rights, Soft power, democracy promotion, foreign policy, promoting democracy, smart power | Tagged Democracy assistance, democracy promotion, democratization, promoting democracy |
By Michael Allen on August 26, 2009
The Obama administration was “right to avoid emotionally satisfying but pointless… rhetorical interventions” in the Iranian events of June 2009, argues Middle East analyst Gregory Gause. “It should be equally poised in rejecting calls …. to make democracy promotion a major pillar of American policy” in the region, he contends.
Gause is dismissive of pundits and [read full story]
Posted in Democracy assistance, Egypt, Iran, Islam/politics, Lebanon, Middle East and North Africa, Morocco, NGOs/Civil society, Tools/technology, authoritarianism, democracy promotion, foreign policy, promoting democracy, protests | Tagged Democracy assistance, democracy promotion, Islamists, political Islam, promoting democracy, radical Islam, regional authoritarians, virtual mosque |
By Michael Allen on August 24, 2009
Last Thursday’s presidential election in Afghanistan was marred by serious irregularities, but most analysts consider it credible while the country’s voters are drawing plaudits for defying Taliban threats of violence to cast their ballots.
Election observers and democracy assistance groups detailed a list of abuses, including ballot-box stuffing and phantom voter lists, especially in southern and [read full story]
Posted in Afghanistan, Democracy assistance, Elections, Middle East and North Africa, NGOs/Civil society, democracy promotion, promoting democracy | Tagged Democracy assistance, democracy promotion, Free and Fair Election Foundation, Hamid Karzai, International Republican Institute, National Democratic Institute |
By Michael Allen on August 7, 2009
“When I think of the ‘colored revolutions’, I feel afraid,” said Shi Zongyuan, China’s senior press regulator.
Democratic transitions in formerly communist states traumatized authoritarian leaders in Russia and China, prompting a remarkable convergence of views and responses, characterized by efforts to develop competing forms of soft power and to suffocate or co-opt civil society.
“On the [read full story]
Posted in Backlash, China, Democracy assistance, Must Read, NGOs/Civil society, National Endowment for Democracy, Russia, Soft power, authoritarianism, democracy promotion, media, promoting democracy | Tagged authoritarianism, backlash against democracy assistance, civil society, colored revolutions’, communist states, Democracy assistance, Empowerment and Rights Institute, formerly communist states, Journal of Communist Studies and Transition Politics, National Endowment for Democracy, pre-empting democracy, sovereign democracy |
By Michael Allen on July 28, 2009
Check out the new Project on Middle East Democracy report in which Stephen McInerney, POMED’s diligent advocacy director, analyses President Obama’s first annual budget request – and the current House and Senate spending bills – to gauge the administration’s priorities in the Middle East and the consequences for democratic reform. The report will be discussed [read full story]
Posted in Democracy assistance, Funding Sources, Islam/politics, Middle East and North Africa, Publications, democracy promotion, foreign policy, promoting democracy | Tagged Arab democracy, Democracy assistance, democracy promotion, Middle East Democracy, promoting democracy, promoting democracy in the Arab world, promoting democracy in the Middle East |
By Michael Allen on July 22, 2009
Kenya’s political class must abandon a winner-takes-all approach to politics, reform its corrupt judiciary and police force, and stop the extra-judicial killings that threaten civil society groups, a Washington conference heard today.
Echoing President Barack Obama’s call for strong institutions instead of a “strong man” approach to politics, Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Johnnie Carson [read full story]
Posted in Africa, Democracy assistance, Elections, Failed states, Human rights, Kenya, NGOs/Civil society, National Endowment for Democracy, Regions, corruption | Tagged corruption, democracy, Democracy assistance, Donald Payne, Gitobu Imanyara, House Democracy Assistance Commission, Joel Barkan, Johnnie Carson, judicial reform, Kenya, Maina Kiai, Makau Mutua, National Democratic Institute, National Endowment for Democracy |
By Michael Allen on July 14, 2009
What are the causes and consequences of resurgent authoritarianism? What are the implications for democracy assistance programs? These questions are addressed in the latest issue of Democracy and Society, the publication of Georgetown University’s Center for Democracy and Civil Society.
Download the latest issue here.
Posted in Backlash, Democracy assistance, NGOs/Civil society, authoritarianism, democracy promotion, promoting democracy | Tagged Democracy assistance, democracy promotion, democracy support, promoting democracy, resurgent authoritarianism |
By Michael Allen on July 8, 2009
Another must-read – and timely too, as the Obama administration finally nominates Michael H. Posner for Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, in the Department of State.
Check out the new Freedom House special report on the administration’s funding of democracy and human rights.
Making its Mark: An Analysis of the Obama [read full story]
Posted in Democracy assistance, democracy promotion | Tagged Democracy assistance, democracy promotion, obama, obama administration |
By Michael Allen on June 23, 2009
The FT’s Gideon Rachman has a useful check-list for democratic revolutions, drawing on the work of The Economist’s Andrew Miller who drew on the color revolutions in Ukraine, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan to identify some of the factors that can help a revolution to succeed :
“Critical mass”: small demonstrations of 5,000 people can be ignored [read full story]
Posted in Democracy assistance, Human rights, Iran, Middle East and North Africa, NGOs/Civil society, authoritarianism, corruption, democracy promotion, dissidents, economic crisis, media, promoting democracy | Tagged color revolutions, Democracy assistance, democratic revolutions, independent media, iran, promoting democracy |
By Michael Allen on June 23, 2009
Overt support for Iran’s resurgent protest movement would play into the hands of the regime, allow it to paint them as tools of the West and undermine the credibility of indigenous reformers. Right?
While some expatriate groups and externally-based experts confidently express such views on behalf of Iranian activists or insist on the need to re-tool [read full story]
Posted in Backlash, Democracy assistance, Iran, Islam/politics, Middle East and North Africa, NGOs/Civil society, authoritarianism, democracy promotion, promoting democracy, protests | Tagged Akbar Atri, civic movements, Democracy assistance, international solidarity, Iran's democracy movement, Iran’s protest movement |
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