International Forum for Democratic Studies

Research and Conferences

The International Forum for Democratic Studies' research analyzes the conditions and challenges of democratic transition, reform, and consolidation around the world. Through its conferences, seminars, reports, edited volumes, and other research projects, the Forum examines the particular issues facing emerging democracies, troubled democracies, and transitional societies as well as the common problems of institutional performance and democratic quality that confront both new and established democracies.

Network of Democracy Research Institutes (NDRI)

The core of the Research and Conferences Program is the Network of Democracy Research Institutes (NDRI), a global association of think tanks that conduct research on democracy, democratization, and related topics in comparative government and international affairs.

Included in the Network are:

• Independent institutions
• University-based study centers
• Research programs affiliated with other organizations

The Network was established to foster interaction among institutions, democracy scholars, and activists, to strengthen research on democracy, and to promote greater awareness of the diversity and vitality of democracy studies. Through a Web site, an electronic newsletter, professional exchange visits, and publication exchanges, the Network provides information about the work of its member institutes, including conferences and workshops, publications, and other activities. :: VISIT

Forum Events

Major events organized by the Forum in recent years include:

• On August 18–19, the Forum’s Network of Democracy Research Institutes (NDRI) and Korea’s East Asia Institute cosponsored a workshop in Seoul entitled “Translating Research into Policy: Successful Experiences, Relevant Lessons.” Funded by the Korea Foundation, the meeting brought together representatives from NDRI member institutes in Ecuador, Ghana, India, Korea, Lebanon, and Romania that have been successful at having their research influence policy. This was the first in a planned series of workshops that will examine how think of democracy and authoritarianism.

• "Nigeria's 2011 Elections and the Challenges Ahead," a half-day conference that brought together Nigerian activists and scholars with local Nigeria experts.

• “Democracy in East Asia and Taiwan in Global Perspective,” a major international conference cosponsored with the National Tawain University in August 2011. 

• "The Challenges of a Transition to Democracy in Libya," a one-day roundtable discussion held in July 2011 by the Forum at the National Endowment for Democracy.

• "The Foreign Policies of Emerging Market Democracies: What Role for Human Rights and Democracy?" a two-day conference cosponsored with the Brookings Institution

• In February 2011, the Forum and Georgetown University's Democracy and Governance program convened a forum of government officials, democracy assistance practitioners, leading experts on Egyptian politics, political transitions, electoral and constitutional design for the purpose of identifying the challenges and options for supporting indigenous Egyptian efforts to initiate a transition to democracy. :: PDF

• "Political Clientelism, Social Policy, and the Quality of Democracy: Evidence from Latin America, Lessons from Other Regions," a November 2010 conference in Quito, Ecuador

• "The Elusive Synthesis: Exploring the Changing Relationship Between Democracy Support and Development Aid," an October 2010 conference cosponsored with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

• "China, India, and the Future of Democracy," a June 2010 event featuring Andrew Nathan, Sumit Ganguly, Bruce Gilley, and Francis Fukuyama

•  "Democratization in Africa: Progress and Retreat," a March 2010 book launch featuring Joel Barkan, Richard Joseph, Peter Lewis, Andrew M. Mwenda, H. Kwasi Premeph, and Larry Diamond

•  "Democracy and Development," a March 2010 workshop cosponsored with Johns Hopkins University and the Center for Global Development

• "Poverty, Inequality and Democracy" :: PDF cosponsored in April 2009 with the Institute for Public Affairs in Slovakia and Stanford University's Center on Democracy, Development and Rule of Law

See all recent conference reports :: MORE

From 1998-2002, the Forum and the Sejong Institute in South Korea cosponsored the Democracy Forum for East Asia, which organized eight conferences on such topics as the role of civil society in promoting democracy, the democratization of political parties, and how the mass media fight corruption. The reports from this conference are archived in the Online Catalog. Search for "Democracy Forum for East Asia" using this link.

The Forum also regularly sponsors smaller meetings in Washington that focus on particular countries or regions, or on topical issues of democratic development. These often include NDRI scholars and Journal of Democracy contributors as featured speakers.

Forum Publications

In addition to the Journal of Democracy, the International Forum for Democratic Studies have produced a number of conference reports and books that examine not only the particular issues facing emerging democracies and transitional societies but also the common problems of institutional performance and civic participation that confront both new and established democracies. :: MORE