Democracy

“Nothing to Lose”: The Daily Struggles of Venezuelans
- February 5, 2019
By Rosana Lezama Sanchez

Venezuelan emigrants always talk about how much they miss the country they left behind. I returned to Caracas in August of 2018, but I too miss Venezuela. The Venezuela that I grew up in was certainly …
By CIPS
Democracy, Fragile States, Human Rights, Latin America
READ MORE
A Nation in Transition: Afghan Perspectives on Society, Politics, and Economics, 2004 and 2018, Part 1
- January 23, 2019
The survey of the Afghan people, undertaken by the Asia Foundation every year since 2004, is an important barometer, tracking opinions on social, political, economic, and security conditions in their country. The survey findings provide a longitudinal picture of how …
By Nipa Banerjee
Democracy, Fragile States, International Development, Middle East, Women
READ MORE
A Nation in Transition: Afghan Perspectives on Society, Politics, and Economics, 2004 and 2018, Part 2
- January 23, 2019
In Part 1 of this blog, we looked at some results from the Asia Foundation’s annual survey of the Afghan people, comparing the results from 2004 and 2018 on such issues as national mood, fear for personal safety, and satisfaction …
By Nipa Banerjee
Democracy, Fragile States, International Development, Middle East, Women
READ MORE
Democracy’s Promise Unfulfilled while Violence against Women in Politics Persists
- December 10, 2018
In October 2018, the Office for the High Commissioner on Human Rights’ Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women and Girls presented a report to the UN General Assembly recognizing violence against women in politics (VAWP) as a human rights violation …
By Gabrielle Bardall
Democracy, Gender, Human Rights, Women
READ MORE
The Alt-Right Gets its Own University
- December 6, 2018
By Michael C. Williams

Early in September, a new institution of higher learning opened its doors in Europe. In itself, this is not usually a particularly noteworthy event. But this is no run-of-the-mill college, nor are its founders conventional academics. …
By CIPS
Democracy, Europe, Theory
READ MORE
Blue Wave Swamps Taiwan Elections
- November 28, 2018
Taiwan’s mid-term elections on 24 November brought a renewed “blue wave” to the island democracy. In this case, the blues are the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang, KMT) and allies who favour rapprochement with China. The greens are the …
By Scott Simon
Asia, Democracy, Gender, Human Rights, International Relations
READ MORE

How Do You Make Donald Trump Laugh? Democrats Should Think About It.
- November 23, 2018
By Jeremy Kinsman

Many times in the past two years, people have told me they’ve never seen Donald Trump laugh.

So, what would it take?

A sure bet would be if — after the mid-term elections that bore very ominous …
By CIPS
Democracy, USA
READ MORE
Lest We Forget Why We Fought World War I
- November 7, 2018
Lauchlan T. Munro

School of International Development and Global Studies

On Remembrance Day, I think of my two grandfathers and my two great uncles who served in the Canadian army in World War I. I remember their sacrifice. But I …
By CIPS
Canadian Foreign Policy, Commonwealth, Democracy, International Relations
READ MORE
Khashoggi Murder Case a Test for Despots Everywhere
- October 18, 2018
The disappearance and possible murder of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi is an important test case for despots everywhere. Can they get away with interrogating, kidnapping, and even assassinating their critics in other countries?

Khashoggi, a resident of the United …
By Roland Paris
Democracy, Human Rights, International Law, Middle East
READ MORE
How the 2008 Financial Crisis Helped Fuel Today’s Right-Wing Populism
- October 10, 2018
Ten years ago, on 3 October 2008, President George W. Bush signed the “Troubled Assets Relief Program” (TARP), promising $700 billion to support banks and companies hit by the global financial crisis. As Congress passed this historic bill, it seemed …
By Jacqueline Best
Democracy, Economy, USA
READ MORE
Moving On: The West Adjusts to a Rogue US President, Part 1
- August 27, 2018
By Jeremy Kinsman

The summer of 2018 has shaken the rules-based world order that emerged from the devastation of the Second World War. A rogue president of the United States has apparently chosen unilateralism and nationalist competition over the multilateral …
By CIPS
Democracy, International Relations, USA
READ MORE
Moving On: The West Adjusts to a Rogue US President, Part 2
- August 27, 2018
By Jeremy Kinsman

Part 1 of this article appears here.

Though Trump’s electoral victory was a shock, allies hoped it was hyperbole when Trump declared in his inaugural address in January, 2017, that he placed the interests of America …
By CIPS
Democracy, International Relations, USA
READ MORE