Fragile states around the world demand international attention from both the diplomatic and development communities. They are states where governance tends to be weakest and development is most difficult to achieve. Media is often most vulnerable to cooption in these states. This discussion focused on the challenges and opportunities for media development in fragile states using Iraq, Afghanistan, Kenya, and Somalia as case studies.

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Based on the true story of Franak Viachorka and Belarusian youth activists, the film Viva Belarus! depicts the life and fate of nonconformist youth living in “Europe’s last dictatorship.” The film was followed by a panel discussion on the role of youth in pushing for positive change in Belarus, lead by experts in the field.

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Donald L. Horowitz, James B. Duke Professor of Law and Political Science Emeritus, Duke University presented his lecture, "Ethnic Power-Sharing and Democracy: Three Big Problems" as the tenth annual The Seymour Martin Lipset Lecture on Democracy in the World.

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China has elevated media into a major component of its international grand strategy, yet censorship within China's borders and pressure on news organizations outside of China impede independent reporting about China itself. This CIMA panel discussion focused on this dichotomy and marked the launch of CIMA's two reports: CCTV's International Expansion: China's Grand Strategy for Media and The Long Shadow of Chinese Censorship: How the Communist Party's Media Restrictions Affect News Outlets Around the World.

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Christian Caryl moderated a conversation on how this new authoritarianism works inside Russia, what it means for relationships with the West, and how it affects what Russia’s leadership views as its “near abroad.” The discussion was based on “Russia: A Postmodern Dictatorship?” by Peter Pomerantsev. This was the first in a series of studies commissioned jointly by the Legatum Institute and the Institute of Modern Russia to analyze the challenges of transition in the former Soviet Union.

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On March 24, 2013, the Seleka rebels seized control of the capital of the Central African Republic (CAR), Bangui, forcing President Francois Bozize to flee. Current President Michel Djotodia faces the difficult task of restoring order and organizing elections once the 18-month transition period expires. The Central African legislature and civil society members discussed the latest crisis situation in the Central African Republic, impacting the Great Lakes region as a whole

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The Kenya case study is the third lecture in a series on “The Role of Economics in Democratic Transitions” organized by the Legatum Institute, the National Endowment for Democracy’s International Forum for Democratic Studies, and World Affairs that explores the link between economic reform and political transitions.

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The mass uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa represent the most important opportunity for democracy since the fall of Soviet communism. Two-and-a-half years after the onset of the movements against the region’s repressive governments, the extent of the democratic reform challenge has become clearer, raising a host of vexing questions for reformers in these countries and policy makers outside them. During the event, two panels of experts assessed the transition experiences from the post-Soviet world and North Africa, and examined fundamental questions relating to democratic transitions. This event was part of the Reconsidering Democratic Transitions conference series sponsored by the International Forum for Democratic Studies.

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