"Revolution" Reconsidered: The Alternative to "Democratic Transition"

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Charles Fairbanks. International Forum Co-Director Marc F. Plattner moderated the event.

For centuries, the idea of revolution—both in theory and practice—was favored or feared as a means of regime change. In the 1970s, however, when social scientists began advocating the notion of "transition" to democracy as an alternative to revolution, many East European dissidents abandoned revolutionary efforts on the model of the 1956 Hungarian Revolt in favor of a "civil society" beneath the state. In 1989–91, Soviet rule ended in "velvet revolutions" largely free of the violence associated with uprisings of the past, and local democrats sought to guide the ensuing transitions to democracy. Within a decade, however, it became clear that these transitions were not moving forward, serving merely to cloak the consolidation of authoritarian rule. Amidst this malaise, the impatience of various postcommunist peoples burst forth in the "color revolutions" of Georgia (2003), Ukraine (2004), and Kyrgyzstan (2005). The dissidents called their protests revolutions, returning to mass mobilization and the use of flamboyant symbolism. Do the upheavals in Eurasia suggest that revolution is making a comeback? Drawing upon recent events and earlier political thought, Dr. Fairbanks re-opened the case for and against revolutions, as compared with gradual, "crafted" transitions to democracy.

Dr. Charles Fairbanks is director of the Central Asia–Caucasus Institute at the Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C. His areas of expertise include the politics of Russia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus, strategic and security issues in the region, and human rights and democratization. He has previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of State, as foreign policy advisor to the campaigns of Ronald Reagan (1980) and George H.W. Bush (1988), and as a member of the political science faculty at Yale University and the University of Toronto. He is the author of The Allure of Summits (2000) and numerous articles on the Caucasus and Central Asia. During his fellowship at the International Forum, he is conducting a comparative study of democratic breakthroughs in the postcommunist world.

Anwar Ibrahim on "The Future of Muslim Democracy" for the New York Democracy Forum Lecture Series.

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Anticorruption as a Democratization Tool

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Alina Mungiu Pippidi. International Forum Co-Director Marc F. Plattner moderated the event.

The past few years have seen a flurry of anticorruption initiatives around the world. While the new rhetoric of transparency and the proliferation of Freedom of Information Acts have imposed government accountability on the public agenda, in several countries where donors have invested heavily in anticorruption, positive results have yet to be seen. Both businesspeople and citizens perceive that systemic corruption remains largely unaffected by attempts to contain it. Why is this the case? What can be done to make anticorruption measures more effective? In her presentation, Alina Mungiu Pippidi addressed these questions using specific insights from Central and Eastern Europe. She argued that we are using the generic term "corruption" to label disparate phenomena and that we work with universal cures where specific cures would work better. Drawing upon survey data and examples of recent anticorruption campaigns conducted in Eastern Europe, she made the case that the roots of corruption lie in politics, that efforts to combat corruption through non-political means are likely to prove futile, and that effective anticorruption goes hand in hand with democratization.

Alina Mungiu Pippidi is leader of the Romanian Coalition for a Clean Parliament, which in 2004 succeeded in removing from office a corrupt government and in preventing the reelection of 98 members of parliament whose integrity had been called into question. She is director of the Romanian Academic Society, one of Romania's foremost think tanks and a leading policy advocacy group in the region. She is also an analyst for Freedom House's annual Nations in Transit survey for Romania, in addition to serving as a consultant to the United Nations Development Program in the Balkans and to the World Bank in the Caucasus. During her fellowship, she is writing a paper on anticorruption and public-integrity campaigns within the broader framework of state building.

Democratization of the Black Sea Area: A Roundtable on the Use and Abuse of Regional Constructs

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon roundtable featuring Alina Mungiu Pippidi, director, Romanian Academic Society; Dogu Ergil, president, Centre for the Research of Societal Problems; Charles King, Ion Ratiu Associate Professor, Georgetown University; and Andrei Piontkovsky, director, Center for Strategic Research. Michael McFaul, senior fellow, Hoover Institution, moderated the event.

Scholars and policy makers often use regional constructs to identify clusters of nearby countries that are confronting common problems or are undergoing similar transformations. In some cases, such as in the Baltic states, regional constructs have proven useful in understanding and developing a common path toward European integration and democratization. In other cases—most notably in the Western Balkans—the use of regional constructs has been much less helpful.

The Black Sea area, encompassing Romania and Bulgaria on the western coast, Ukraine and Russia to the north, Georgia to the east, and Turkey to the south, has emerged in policy circles as one of the latest regional constructs. To what extent is it useful for outside actors like NATO and the European Union to develop a Black Sea–area policy, rather than individual, country-by-country policies? Do countries in the region (including nearby Moldova and Azerbaijan) see themselves as part of an indentifiable area with common aspirations for Europeanization and democratic reform? Where would Russia fit in such a regional construct? And what does the history of the Black Sea area teach about the prospects for regional cooperation? These questions were addressed at the November 29 roundtable.

Alina Mungiu-Pippidi is the director of the Romanian Academic Society and a 2005–2006 Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow at the National Endowment for Democracy. Dogu Ergil is the chair of the department of political behavior and a professor of political sociology at Ankara University, president and cofounder of the Ankara-based Centre for the Research of Societal Problems, and a 2005–2006 Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow at the National Endowment for Democracy. Charles King is the chair of the faculty and Ion Ratiu Associate Professor in the school of foreign service at Georgetown University, and author of The Black Sea: A History (Oxford University Press, 2004). Andrei Piontkovsky is the director of the Moscow-based Center for Strategic Research and a 2005–2006 Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow at the National Endowment for Democracy. Michael McFaul is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and an associate professor of political science at Stanford University.

Political Parties in Asian Democracies: The Weakest Link?

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Roland Rich. International Forum Co-Director Larry Diamond moderated the event.

The democratizing countries of Asia, and in particular those on Asia's Pacific Rim, have made substantial progress toward consolidating their democracies. Nations such as Indonesia, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, and Taiwan have been active in crafting the key institutions of democracy, building the rule of law, and nurturing civil society. An indispensable ingredient in the democracy formula are viable political parties. Are the political parties in Pacific Asia measuring up to expectations or are they the weakest link in the chain? Drawing upon research conducted as a Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow, Roland Rich examined the political and historical context of the region, developed a taxonomy of Asian political parties, and analyzed their strengths and weaknesses.

Mr. Roland Rich is the founder and former director of the Centre for Democratic Institutions (CDI), Australia's publicly funded democracy promotion institute, based at the Australian National University. Prior to establishing CDI in 1998, Mr. Rich was a member of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and served in a number of capacities, including ambassador to Laos, legal advisor, and assistant secretary for international organizations. During his fellowship at the National Endowment for Democracy in 2005, he wrote a book entitled Pacific Asia in Quest of Democracy, forthcoming from Lynne Rienner in 2006. Dr. Larry Diamond is co-director of the International Forum for Democratic Studies, co-editor of the Journal of Democracy, and senior fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution.

Egypt's 2005 Elections

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Maye Kassem, assistant professor of political science at the American University in Cairo. NED President Carl Gershman moderated the event.

On September 7, Egyptian voters participated in their country's first-ever multicandidate presidential election. Although virtually no one considered the election a serious challenge to the continued rule of president Hosni Mubarak, many commentators considered it a historic first step toward the development of democracy in Egypt, despite a campaign marred by allegations of fraud and manipulation, and a low-turnout election in which the incumbent won more than 88 percent of the vote. The next key event in Egyptian politics will be this year's parliamentary elections, scheduled for November 9 and 20, and December 1. Maye Kassem discussed lessons learned from the presidential election; their impact on the behavior of candidates, parties, and political movements in the parliamentary elections; and what these historic events mean for the future of Egyptian politics.

Ms. Maye Kassem is an assistant professor of political science at the American University in Cairo, where she teaches courses on Middle Eastern politics. She is the author of In the Guise of Democracy: Governance in Contemporary Egypt (1999) and Egyptian Politics: The Dynamics of Authoritarian Rule (2004). Ms. Kassem is currently finishing a third book on Egyptian politics for Routledge's Contemporary Middle East Series.

Auditing Israeli Democracy 2005: A Decade after the Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Asher Arian, senior fellow, the Israel Democracy Institute in Jerusalem, and Shlomit Barnea, graduate student, Johns Hopkins University. Senior Program Officer Thomas W. Skladony moderated the event.

On November 4, 1995, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by a young Israeli radical. The third issue of the Israel Democracy Institute's annual audit of the state of Israeli democracy, "Auditing Israeli Democracy 2005," places special emphasis on protest and violence in Israeli political discourse in commemoration of Rabin's death and the recent withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. How is Rabin remembered? How is Rabin's legacy etched in Israel's collective memory? How do Israelis view protest and the use of violence in democratic discourse? What impact did the withdrawal from Gaza have on Israeli public opinion? Have these national traumas reduced or heightened the polarization of attitudes?

"Auditing Israeli Democracy 2005: A Decade after the Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin," by Asher Arian, Shlomit Barnea, Pazit Ben-Nun, Raphael Ventura, and Michal Shamir, was sponsored and published by The Israel Democracy Institute in Jerusalem.

Mr. Asher Arian is a senior fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute in Jerusalem and Distinguished Professor of Political Science at the Graduate Center of The City University of New York. Ms. Shlomit Barnea is a graduate student in political science at Johns Hopkins University.

Larry Diamond spoke on "Can the Whole World Become Democratic?" for the New York Democracy Forum Lecture Series.
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Francis Fukuyama on "Identity, Immigration and Liberal Democracy."

National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and the Embassy of Canada hosted the second annual Seymour Martin Lipset Lecture on Democracy in the World.
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Azerbaijan's Impending Elections: Last Chance for Democracy?

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar Leila Alieva, president of the Baku-based Centre for National and International Studies. Program Officer Miriam Lanskoy provided comments and Marc F. Plattner, co-director of the International Forum, moderated the event.

On November 6, Azerbaijanis will go to the polls to elect a new parliament. In the context of the "color" revolutions in neighboring Georgia, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan, the Azeri opposition hopes for a breakthrough that will loosen the grip of the authoritarian government of Ilham Aliyev. Since the Orange Revolution in Ukraine, there has been an upsurge in NGO activity aimed at democratizing Azerbaijan. The hitherto rather limited Western aid for election monitoring and other democratic programs has increased substantially. The present regime has countered these efforts with vigorous measures of its own, ranging from strong-arm tactics to government attempts to exploit polling and election monitoring. Leila Alieva analyzed the upcoming November 6 elections as a critical test-case for the future momentum of the "color-coded" revolutions in the former Soviet Union.

Ms. Leila Alieva is president of the Baku-based Centre for National and International Studies, a leading think tank that conducts research on politics, security, and economics. She has published numerous articles and book chapters on conflict resolution, politics, security, and oil in Azerbaijan and Eurasia. She has previously held numerous fellowships in the United States, including Harvard University, the Woodrow Wilson Center, and Johns Hopkins University. Ms. Miriam Lanskoy is the program officer for Central Asia and the Caucasus at the National Endowment for Democracy.

Democracy and Inclusion in Ecuador: The Way Forward

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Raul Gangotena. Chris Sabatini, senior director of policy at the Council of the Americas, served as a discussant and Ambassador Terence Todman moderated the event.

Since the Agrarian Reform Act of 1964, the indigenous people of Ecuador have made significant progress toward higher levels of political participation and inclusion in their country's social establishment. Despite opposition to their increased role based on the widespread misperception that they are promoting instability, locally elected indigenous leaders have shown remarkable success in office, performing well and gaining reelection with the support of both indigenous and non-indigenous voters. At the same time, these hard-won political and social advances are threatened by the ongoing failure to reduce poverty and achieve economic parity and prosperity. Without near-term economic gains, the indigenous movement cannot sustain the progress it has achieved. Specific proposals to defeat poverty among indigenous and Afro-Ecuadorians should be put in motion to strengthen the process of indigenous inclusion and jumpstart the sluggish economy. In his presentation, Ecuador's former ambassador to the United States, Raúl Gangotena, analyzed the current situation and offered possible strategies to address the problem.

Ambassador Raúl Gangotena is a former envoy of Ecuador to the United States, engaged in public service, private business activity, higher education and journalism in his home country. Ambassador Terence Todman retired from diplomacy after a distinguished career and is presently serving as member of the Board of NED. Chris Sabatini was, until recently, senior program officer for Latin American and the Caribbean at the National Endowment for Democracy.

Mark Malloch Brown on "UN Reform, Democracy and Human Rights."

Mark Malloch Brown, Chef de Cabinet to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, addresses the New York Democracy Forum on October 6.
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President Bush Spoke to the National Endowment for Democracy - President of the United States George W. Bush was the keynote speaker at an event sponsored by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) on Thursday, October 6. [more...]

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From Islamism to Muslim Democracy: The Challenges of Political Inclusion in Muslim Countries

The International Forum for Democratic Studies and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars co-hosted a conference featuring Anwar Ibrahim, former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia and Saad Eddin Ibrahim, Chairman of the Board of the Ibn Khaldun Center for Development Studies. Professors Vali Nasr, Naval Postgraduate School and Larry Diamond, Hoover Institution, provided comments and Carl Gershman, president, National Endowment for Democracy, chaired the event.

A summary and Web cast of the event is available here.

Transitions from Postcommunism: An External Dimension?

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Michael McFaul. Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Vitali Silitski provided comments and Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program manager Sally Blair moderated the event.

In recent years, the postcommunist world has witnessed a series of democratic breakthroughs in which regimes trapped for years between autocracy and democracy have suddenly taken dramatic leaps in a democratic direction. This new wave of democratization started in Slovakia in 1998 and then swelled with unexpected breakthroughs in Serbia (2000), Georgia (2003), Ukraine (2004), and Kyrgyzstan (2005). What are the common factors in these democratic breakthroughs? Is there a shared external dimension? Why have breakthroughs occurred in these countries but not others in the region, and is there an important external dimension to the unsuccessful cases? Dr. Michael McFaul, whose article "Transitions from Postcommunism," appeared in the July 2005 issue of the Journal of Democracy, explored the external and internal causes of these transitions-and non-transitions-from postcommunism in Eastern Europe and Eurasia.

A noted expert on democratic theory and practice, Dr. Michael McFaul is an associate professor of political science at Stanford University, a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, and a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Currently a part-time Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow at the International Forum for Democratic Studies, Dr. McFaul is working on a study of the international dimensions of democratic breakthroughs. Discussant Dr. Vitali Silitski is a leading Belarusian scholar in residence at the National Endowment for Democracy as a 2004-2005 Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow.

Perspectives on Censorship in China

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Guobiao Jiao. Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program manager Sally Blair moderated the event.

The regulation and manipulation of information, including the use of propaganda and "thought control," constitute an ongoing, systematic threat to human rights and democracy in China. Through an elaborate and sophisticated network of party secretaries, bureaucrats, and others, the Chinese leadership is able to monitor and narrowly restrict the political, social, and intellectual lives of its people. How does China's thought-control system work? Who is involved in its operations and undertakings? How does it influence the educational system, the media, and other institutions? During his fellowship at the National Endowment for Democracy, Professor Guobiao Jiao has been studying the ways in which the Chinese government attempts to restrict information and control the thinking of Chinese citizens. In his presentation, he shared his perspectives on censorship in China and its implications for democracy in the country.

Dr. Guobiao Jiao has served as associate professor at Beijing University's College of Journalism and Communications. A prominent journalist at Chinese Cultural Newspaper from 1996 to 2001, he has published widely on issues of journalism in China. Following the appearance online of his March 2004 essay condemning the Chinese government's Central Propaganda Department and his continued efforts to promote freedom of the press and human rights in China, he was suspended from his teaching duties. He has received media coverage in the New York Times and Washington Post and has given interviews to the BBC, Voice of America, and Radio Free Asia. During his fellowship, he is exploring historical and contemporary perspectives on the Chinese media, including an analysis of the impact of the Internet in China. He is also writing a series of articles on the challenges and prospects for the media in China, for eventual publication as a book.

NED Honors Afghan Activists with 2005 Democracy Award

NED Honors Afghan Activists with 2005 Democracy Award - Three democratic activists from Afghanistan were chosen to receive the 2005 Democracy Award of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), which was presented July 13 at an event in the U.S. Congress. [more...]

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Presentation

Panel Discussion

How Not To Read a Turkish Newspaper: Promoting Accountability in a Globalized Media Environment

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Andrew Finkel. Jeffrey Dvorkin, ombudsman, National Public Radio, provided comments and Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program manager Sally Blair moderated the event.

Turkey has in recent times confused its allies with the obduracy of its nationalist stand and yet confounded its critics through an appetite for reform. The challenges it faces are many: EU entry, economic restructuring, and uncertainties across its borders with Syria, Iran and Iraq. Andrew Finkel, a journalist based for many years in Istanbul, analyses the role of the Turkish press in negotiating these winds of change. He describes institutions in need of the accountability which they themselves advocate. Corruption within the media has weakened standards of public debate, created space for extremism, and exposed journalists to danger. Certainly, American officialdom has declared itself aghast at the sensationalism of the media and its anti-American tone. Improving standards, however, is not simply a question of training better journalists or removing state interference, but of getting at the malaise in the corporate culture of news organisations. Surprisingly, the most determined challenges to that culture, through media globalization, may have the perverse effect of legitimating bad practice. Mr. Finkel's conclusions are striking for anyone concerned with public diplomacy and "reading" other nations' media. Jeffery Dvorkin, a distinguished journalist who is ombudsman for National Public Radio, considered the wider implications of Mr. Finkel's remarks.

Mr. Andrew Finkel is a prominent freelance journalist who has been based in Istanbul, Turkey, since 1989. He has served as a correspondent and freelance contributor to a number of publications and broadcasting organizations, including Time, The Times, the Economist, and CNN. He has also been a featured columnist in the Turkish language press for the daily newspapers Sabah and Milliyet. Mr. Jeffrey Dvorkin is the Ombudsman for National Public Radio (NPR). Prior to this appointment, he was NPR's Vice President for News & Information.

Democracy Without the People: Reassessing the South African Miracle

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Robert Mattes. Larry Diamond, co-director of the International Forum, moderated.

South Africa is widely seen as one of the true success stories of the third wave of democratization. Having just celebrated ten years of democratic rule, the country boasts a Bill of Rights and a set of institutions-including an electoral system, Government of National Unity, and Truth and Reconciliation Commission-that are highly regarded by constitutional designers worldwide. Yet while these institutions successfully enticed the country's elites to support the democratic process, South Africa's constitutional edifice may also be responsible for a substantial public disengagement, whereby its citizens are inadvertently encouraged to opt out of the system. In his presentation, Robert Mattes demonstrated how ordinary South Africans have reacted to the dramatic changes of the past decade. Drawing upon the unique wealth of public opinion data he has helped to accumulate since 1994, initially with the Institute for Democracy in South Africa (Idasa), and more recently with the Afrobarometer, he explored why democracy has met with lukewarm acceptance among ordinary South Africans, and discussed implications for local African democracy activists as well as international democracy-assistance organizations. Larry Diamond moderated and commented on the presentation.

Dr. Robert Mattes is associate professor of political studies at the University of Cape Town, where he directs the Democracy in Africa Research Unit. He is an associate of the Institute for Democracy in South Africa (Idasa) and co-creator and co-director of the Afrobarometer, an ongoing survey of African attitudes toward democracy and market reform. His most recent work is Public Opinion, Democracy and Market Reform in Africa (coauthored with Michael Bratton and E. Gyimah-Boadi), which was published in 2004 by Cambridge University Press. Dr. Larry Diamond is co-director of the International Forum for Democratic Studies and co-editor of the Journal of Democracy.

Democratization and Foreign Policymaking in South Korea: From Secret Garden to Town Square

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Hoon Jaung. Scott Snyder, senior associate, Asia Foundation provided comments. Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program manager Sally Blair moderated the event.

While South Korea stands as a model of democratic success in Asia, the country's progress toward true democratic consolidation is being hampered by a certain lack of transparency in government. South Korean foreign policy is a case in point: the country's legislature is left out of decisions involving international affairs and faces difficulties in effectively monitoring the formulation and implementation of foreign policies. In his presentation, Dr. Hoon Jaung discussed the sources and patterns of this "accountability deficit" by examining the apathy of the National Assembly, the changing nature of public opinion, and the enhanced impact of civic associations on foreign policy decisions. Dr. Jaung's presentation was followed by comments by Mr. Scott Snyder.

Dr. Hoon Jaung is professor of political science at Chung-Ang University in Seoul, Korea. He has also served as editor-in-chief of the Korean International Studies Review and has authored numerous articles and book chapters on Korean politics. During his fellowship, he is working on an essay discussing the "accountability deficit" in South Korean foreign policymaking since the country's democratic transition. Mr. Scott Snyder is a senior associate at the Asia Foundation, as well as with the Pacific Forum at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Francis Fukuyama on "Do we really know how to promote democracy?"

Francis Fukuyama, Professor of International Political Economy at Johns Hopkins University's Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, addresses the New York Democracy Forum on May 24.

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Azar Nafisi on "Women, Culture, Human Rights: the case of Iran"

Azar Nafisi, Visiting Fellow, John's Hopkins University's Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and author of the critically-acclaimed best-seller, Reading Lolita in Teheran, spoke at the second lecture of the New York Democracy Forum (NYDF) held Wednesday, April 20. [more...]

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Democratic Breakthroughs in Eurasia: Looking Beyond the Color-Coded Revolutions

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Vitali Silitski. Michael McFaul, associate professor of political science, Stanford University and Rodger Potocki, senior program officer for East Central Europe, National Endowment for Democracy, provided comments. International Forum co-director Marc F. Plattner moderated the event.

The electoral revolutions in Serbia, Georgia, Ukraine, and most recently, in Kyrgyzstan have established a pattern of democratic change in formerly communist countries where processes of democratization had stalled or been reversed following the first wave of regime change in the early 1990s. The recent breakthroughs raise expectations of a possible contagion effect that may trigger a further round of democratic transitions elsewhere in the former Soviet Union. At the same time, more cautious assessments insist that contagion may be outpaced by preemptive reaction on the part of authoritarian rulers. In his presentation, Dr. Silitski examined the prospects, processes, and effects of both contagion and preemption in the remaining autocracies of the former Soviet Union. His remarks were followed by comments by Dr. Michael McFaul and Mr. Rodger Potocki.

Dr. Vitali Silitski is a leading Belarusian scholar who has written extensively for the international press. He is cur-rently working on a book comparing the regimes of Belarus's Alyaksandr Lukashenka and Serbia's Slobodan Mil-osevic. Dr. Michael McFaul is a Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow at the National Endowment for Democracy and an associate professor of political science at Stanford University. In addition, he is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution and a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Mr. Rodger Potocki is senior program officer for East Central Europe at the National Endowment for Democracy and an adjunct professor of history at Georgetown University.

Rebiya Kadeer on "The Struggle of the Uyghur People for Human Rights"

The National Endowment for Democracy and the Uyghur American Association held a luncheon featuring a discussion with recently released prisoner of conscience, Rebiya Kadeer.

Ms. Kadeer discussed the Thousand Mothers Movement she founded, which provided training and mentoring for women's business ventures and helped channel donations to orphans, underprivileged children and needy students. She also discussed her efforts to raise the human rights concerns of Uyghurs with the authorities in China, including unequal education opportunities, discrimination in employment and entrepreneurial opportunities, denial of religious freedom, harsh population control measures, and repression of cultural traditions.

Ms. Rebiya Kadeer was released from prison just prior to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's trip to Beijing in March. Ms. Kadeer, a former laundress, had become one of China's wealthiest entrepreneurs and was appointed to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). But her efforts to convey the grievances of the impoverished community of Muslim Uyghurs in northwest China (Xinjiang Province) eventually resulted in her arrest by Chinese police as she attempted to meet with representatives of the U.S. Congressional Research Service. Ms. Kadeer has eleven children, five of whom remain in China.

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The Rise of "Muslim Democracy"

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar on "The Rise of 'Muslim Democracy,'" featuring Vali Nasr, professor of Middle East and South Asian politics at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. International Forum co-director Marc F. Plattner moderated the event.

In his article in the April 2005 Journal of Democracy, Vali Nasr explores a phenomenon that he labels "Muslim Democracy." In recent years, a number of Muslim-majority societies with competitive elections have seen the rise of parties that are neither Islamist nor secularist, but rather seek to win votes by integrating the interests and concerns of religious citizens into broader platforms capable of dominating the political center. Do such parties represent a Muslim-world parallel to the rise of Christian Democracy in Europe during the last century? Do they hold the key to reforming relations between Islam and the political sphere? Might "Muslim Democracy" even be on the way to gaining a foothold in the Arab world?

Vali Nasr is professor of Middle East and South Asian politics at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. He is author of The Islamic Leviathan: Islam and the Making of the State (2001). Marc F. Plattner is the coeditor of the Journal of Democracy and co-director of the International Forum for Democratic Studies.

Richard Gephardt spoke on "Spreading Freedom" at first lecture of New York Democracy Forum

Richard Gephardt, longtime Democratic Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, spoke on "Spreading Freedom: A Mission for the American People" at the first lecture of the New York Democracy Forum (NYDF) held at the Kaye Playhouse of Hunter College. [watch the event]

Religion and Democracy: Rethinking the Relationship

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a panel discussion on "Religion and Democracy: Rethinking the Relationship" to celebrate the launch of World Religions and Democracy (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2005), the Journal of Democracy's newest book. The panel featured three distinguished speakers: Abdou Filali-Ansary, co-founder and former editor of the Moroccan quarterly Prologues: revue maghrebine du livre, a French-Arabic journal based in Casablanca; Hillel Fradkin, senior fellow and director of the Project on the Muslim World at the Hudson Institute; and Timothy S. Shah, senior fellow in religion and international affairs at the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. Francis Fukuyama, Bernard Schwartz Professor of International Political Economy, Johns Hopkins University, provided introductory remarks; Larry Diamond, co-editor of the Journal of Democracy and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, offered comments; and Marc F. Plattner, co-editor of the Journal of Democracy, moderated the event.

Contrary to the expectations of many, the advance of modernity has not led to the eclipse of religion. In fact, the "third wave" of democratization has been accompanied by a resurgence of religion in much of the developing and postcommunist world. These developments raise important new questions that were addressed by the panelists: Are the various world religions "compatible" with democracy? Which elements within the different religious traditions are most favorable to building a democratic political culture? Is religion good for democracy? Is democracy good for religion?

Watch this event, session 1 and session 2.

NED and Foreign Policy Association launch New York Democracy Forum

The National Endowment for Democracy and the Foreign Policy Association launched a new initiative that brought the issue of democracy promotion to the heart of New York City: The New York Democracy Forum. The Forum led off with the first annual Democracy Dinner, to be followed by monthly lectures at New York's Hunter College featuring leading democratic advocates and thinkers, including Richard Gephardt, Azar Nafisi and Francis Fukuyama. [more...]

Democracy in Azerbaijan: Crazy Idea or Realistic Possibility?

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Chingiz Mammadov. Fiona Hill, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, provided comments and International Forum co-director Marc F. Plattner moderated the event.

Since the controversial October 2003 presidential elections, the future of democracy in Azerbaijan remains unclear. A variety of opinions on the prospects for democratization exist, some hopeful and others bleak. There is concern about economic stability, regional security, and violations of basic human rights. The state, the opposition, and the international community have different perspectives on how to improve the situation. In his presentation, Mr. Mammadov offered a positive scenario for the development of democracy in Azerbaijan, which he considers realistic and in the interests of all parties involved. He was joined by noted expert Fiona Hill, who offered comments on his presentation.

Mr. Chingiz Mammadov was editor-in-chief of Vatan, one of the flagships of perestroika in Azerbaijan, from 1989-93. He served as Chief of Media Relations to the President of Azerbaijan in 1992-93. Over the last ten years he has worked for the World Bank, TACIS, the National Democratic Institute, and Mercy Corps, traveling throughout Central Asia, the Caucasus, and other parts of the former Soviet Union. Dr. Fiona Hill is Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy Studies, at the Brookings Institution.

Reinventing Democracy through Civic Journalism in Kyrgyzstan

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Yulia Savchenko. Marvin Kalb, Harvard University, provided comments and Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program manager Sally Blair moderated the event.

As in other semiauthoritarian societies, the media in Kyrgyzstan is-often unwillingly-a tool of the state. This stands at odds with the democratic function of the media as an information service and public forum. What can be done to strengthen the independent, catalytic role of the Kyrgyz press? How can it become a channel for public debate? In her presentation, Ms. Savchenko examined the idea of "civic journalism" and its potential to engage Kyrgyz citizens as informed participants in the political life of their country. Civic journalism envisions the media not only as an unbiased monitor of the state, but also as a proactive mediator between citizens and officials. Ms. Savchenko explored civic journalism's prospects for strengthening communication and reinvigorating political dialogue between the government and people of Kyrgyzstan. Her presentation was followed by comments by veteran media expert Marvin Kalb.

Ms. Yulia Savchenko is a television anchor and journalist who has achieved public recognition for her talk show on Pyramid TV in Kyrgyzstan. Her television show, "No Edits," features perspectives and debates on issues of political and social interest and is a unique feature of Kyrgyzstan's media landscape. Mr. Marvin Kalb is a lecturer in public policy, founder, and senior fellow at the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University.

Chechnya's Struggle for Independence

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Ilyas Akhmadov. Dr. Charles Fairbanks, Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies, and Dr. Miriam Lanskoy, National Endowment for Democracy, provided comments and Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program manager Sally Blair moderated the event.

Over the past decade, the Russian-Chechen war has claimed the lives of over 200,000 Chechen civilians and forced a similar number into exile. Far from showing any signs of abating, the war has only triggered further violence, with terrorist attacks taking place with growing frequency throughout the North Caucasus. The war has also been a key instrument in returning authoritarianism to Russia and has undone the reforms implemented under Gorbachev and Yeltsin. In his presentation, Mr. Akhmadov discussed the negotiation processes that brought the first Russian-Chechen war to a close in 1996 and drew comparisons with the present conflict. In particular, he discussed the role of international organizations, civil society, and the media in facilitating a peaceful settlement to the conflict and a democratic future to the troubled region.

Mr. Ilyas Akhmadov was appointed foreign minister of Chechnya in 1999. He has consistently sought to focus international attention on the humanitarian tragedy in Chechnya and to promote a peaceful, negotiated end to the war with Russia. In February 2003, he presented a comprehensive peace proposal, entitled The Russian-Chechen Tragedy: Conditional Independence under an International Administration. Dr. Charles Fairbanks is director of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute and research professor of international relations at the Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies. Dr. Miriam Lanskoy is program officer for Central Asia and the Caucasus at the National Endowment for Democracy.

Building Democracy After Conflict

The Journal of Democracy celebrated its 15th anniversary with a panel discussion on "Building Democracy After Conflict." Drawing from the cluster of articles featured in the January 2005 anniversary issue of the Journal, the panel featured four distinguished speakers: Larry Diamond, co-editor of the Journal and senior fellow at Standford University's Hoover Institution; Larry Goodson, Dwight D. Eisenhower Chair in National Security Studies at the U.S. Army War College; Gerald Knaus, president of the European Stability Initiative; and Francis Fukuyama, Bernard Schwartz Professor of International Political Economy, Johns Hopkins University. Marc Plattner, co-editor of the Journal of Democracy, moderated the event.

The task of postconflict democracy-building has confronted policy makers in places as diverse as Cambodia, Mozambique, Haiti, Bosnia, and East Timor, but developments in Afghanistan and Iraq have now brought this issue to the center of public attention. Drawing from their contributions to the January 2005 anniversary issue of the Journal of Democracy,the panelists discussed the lessons learned from these varied experiences, how the United States and the international community can improve their performance and the prospects for achieving democratic outcomes in such situations.

Watch the 15th Anniversary celebration.

Nigeria at a Crossroads: Perspectives on Civil Society and the Media

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Abiodun Kolawole and Akintola Olaniyan. Larry Diamond, co-director of the International Forum and co-editor of the Journal of Democracy, moderated the event.

Nigeria's return to civilian rule in 1999 was lauded as a victory for democracy in Africa and a promising sign throughout the developing world. Six years later, however, hopes for democratic consolidation remain largely unfulfilled. The gap between the government and civil society continues to widen, while opportunities for opposition and dissent are on the decline. The speakers discussed the challenges facing Nigerian democracy today. Political activist Abiodun Kolawole offered an overview of developments dating back to the country's transition from authoritarian rule. He also discussed initiatives for empowering individual citizens, particularly in rural areas, with the tools necessary for civic participation. Journalist Akintola Olaniyan surveyed the state of the media in Nigeria, highlighting instances of unbalanced reporting, corruption, and state censorship. The session was moderated by Larry Diamond, an expert on Nigerian politics and a leading scholar of comparative democracy.

Mr. Abiodun Kolawole is a research officer at the Center for Constitutionalism and Demilitarization in Lagos and founding member of United Action for Democracy, a coalition of Nigerian pro-democracy groups. Mr. Akintola Olaniyan is a member of Journalists for Democratic Rights, a Lagos-based NGO, and former deputy editor of the Punch, a Nigerian daily newspaper. Dr. Larry Diamond is co-director of the International Forum for Democratic Studies, co-editor of the Journal of Democracy, and a senior fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution.