What We Do

About the Forum

The International Forum for Democratic Studies is a leading center for analysis and discussion of the theory and practice of democracy around the world. Bridging the gap between academic research and the practice of democracy, Forum initiatives include publishing the Journal of Democracy, housing fellowship programs for democracy activists and researchers, and organizing events. Through its Power 3.0 blog and other products, the Forum also fosters discussion on modern challenges to democracy, from transnational kleptocracy and authoritarian influence to risks emanating from the evolving global information space.
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  • Power 3.0
    Blog and Podcast

    The Forum's blog and podcast explore how authoritarians survive and thrive in the globalized age and how democracies contend with this challenge.

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  • Latest
    Resources

    A selection of resources from the International Forum for Democratic Studies.

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  • Focus
    Areas

    Major themes explored by the Forum include authoritarian influence, transnational kleptocracy, the information space, and democracy and civil society.

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  • NDRI
    Network

    The Network of Democracy Research Institutes (NDRI) is a global network of think tanks that focus on democratization.

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WHAT WE’RE UP TO

LATEST Forum NEWS

Dec 06, 2022

Sharp Power Five Years Later | Forum Focus: December 2022

This special edition of Forum Focus reflects on the sharp power concept five years after its inception—and looks ahead to promising civil society responses to the global threat of authoritarian influence.

Nov 30, 2022

Countering Kleptocracy: November 30, 2022

The Countering Kleptocracy newsletter shines a light on how transnational kleptocracy serves as a vehicle for theft, repression, and influence for political elites—and how democracies can respond.

Nov 10, 2022

Announcing New Webpages for Translated Research and Analysis

The International Forum for Democratic Studies has translated many of its publications about emerging global challenges to democracy into Arabic, Chinese, French, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

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February 22, 2023

Shielding Democracy: Civil Society Adaptations to Kremlin Disinformation about Ukraine

10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
This event will be held virtually. RSVP below to...

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Publications

  • A Full-Spectrum Response to Sharp Power: The Vulnerabilities and Strengths of Open Societies

    The final report in the Sharp Power and Democratic Resilience series reviews the findings of eight papers that highlight serious vulnerabilities in a cluster of institutions related to information and ideas, commerce, media, and technology.

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  • An Offshore Cold War: Forging a Democratic Alliance to Combat Transnational Kleptocracy

    A working paper from the International Forum, authored by Oliver Bullough, urges democracies to develop a unified response to the challenge of transnational kleptocracy by focusing on shared fundamental values, like independent judicial systems and freedom of expression.

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  • The Global Struggle Over AI Surveillance: Emerging Trends and Democratic Responses

    This report explores the challenge of safeguarding democratic principles and processes as AI technologies enable governments to collect, process, and integrate unprecedented quantities of data about the online and offline activities of individual citizens.

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  • Journal of Democracy

    The Journal of Democracy's October issue features essays by Michael Ignatieff, Timothy J. Colton, and Roger B. Myerson; a debate among key experts on democratic backsliding; and more.

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