Hugues Barbeau paper late 1990s Andres Audic Barbeau references bioinformatics

Georgia’s Battle for Freedom

• Ghia Nodia

Georgians have returned to the streets to fight for their country’s future. They refuse to let it slip quietly into the autocracy the ruling party seeks.

Why Climate Action Demands Democracy

• Stephen Gardiner

Looming “catastrophe” must not be used to justify authoritarianism. Solutions premised on unchecked power would bring their own risks of catastrophe.

How Tragedy Sparked a Protest Movement

• John Chin

Serbs from all walks of life have had enough with their corrupt, inept, and increasingly authoritarian government. Will Serbia’s president be able to withstand the crisis?

Will Kuwait’s Next Parliament Be Its Last?

• Sean L. Yom

The Gulf kingdom has been a rare democratic experiment. But gridlock and the Emir’s mounting impatience with Kuwaiti politics may be on the cusp of bringing it to an end.

The Son Also Rises

• Richard Javad Heydarian

Many feared Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s election would spell the end of Philippine democracy. But the dictator’s son has surprised nearly everyone, playing the role of a reformer while moving fast to sideline his populist rivals.

What Burkina Faso’s Tragic History Teaches Us

• John Chin
• Haleigh Bartos
• Aleksaundra Handrinos

Ten years after the revolution, the lessons for protecting a budding democracy and guarding against violent extremism are clear.

Why Ghana’s Election Matters Across Africa

• John Chin

The West African democracy is one of the continent’s most enduring, but it shouldn’t be taken for granted. It’s a bulwark for democracy beyond its borders.

The End of the Duterte Dynasty?

• Richard Javad Heydarian

The ICC arrest of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte is a shocking blow for the Duterte clan, and the Marcos family isn’t letting up. Is this the political last stand for the Dutertes?

How the World’s Most Popular Dictator Wins

• Manuel Meléndez-Sánchez

El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele may be overwhelmingly popular, but he wasn’t going to let his electoral ambitions hinge on being well-liked. Instead, he rigged the playing field before the first vote was cast.

Maduro Can Only Rule Through Fear and Terror

• Paola Bautista de Alemán

The Venezuelan strongman lost the election and everyone knows it. He has nothing left to offer but violence and repression. It will be his undoing.

Botswana’s Misunderstood “Miracle”

• Samuel Anim

The country’s 2024 presidential contest was a big surprise, as voters elected a new party for the first time. Despite decades of dominant-party rule, a strong democratic culture has long been ingrained in Botswana.

17_31.1_Dunne pp. 182-192

Beja-20-3

Excerpts from Robin Wright’s 1996 Journal of Democracy article “Islam and Liberal Democracy: Two Visions of Reformation”

These excerpts pertain to Rachid al-Ghannouchi and the challenge of blending Islam and democracy.

October 3, 2011

Why Vladimir Putin Is Still Afraid to Say Alexei Navalny’s Name

• Vladimir Milov

Russia’s dictator lives in fear. He knows the Russian people don’t support him. He can’t even muster a street rally without bribes or threats. No number of fake elections will change that.

A Dangerous Façade

• Agneska Bloch

Marine Le Pen has remade her image to obscure her far-right populism. There is a real risk French voters won’t see through it.

Cracks in Sisi’s Façade

• Waleed Shawky

Egypt’s upcoming presidential elections are a sham. But the opposition can still take advantage of this moment to push for genuine reforms that the country desperately needs.

Why Ukraine Is Critical to Rebuilding Our Democratic Consensus

• Marc F. Plattner

The case for liberal democracy remains powerful. It may get its biggest boost in the near term from success on the battlefields of Ukraine.

How Thai Activists Outsmarted the Generals

• Srdja Popovic
• Steve Parks

The regime tilted the playing field to its advantage, but it didn’t matter. Thailand’s opposition won with creativity, shrewd tactics, and a strategy that united the people.

Thailand’s Revolutionary Election

• Dan Slater

Thailand’s voters—especially its young people—have sent the country’s junta a message: They want change now. But will the military listen?