Democracy Events
Lebanon: Is Real Reform Possible?
March 10, 2010 // 10:00am — 11:00am
Middle East Program
Mohammad A. Safadi, Minister of Economy and Trade and Member of Parliament, Republic of Lebanon
Ricardo Lagos, Former President of Chile
March 09, 2010 // 3:00pm — 4:30pm
Latin American Program
Former President Lagos commented on Latin American views of the United States and Obama administration policy and on the need for global cooperation and dialogue to solve issues such as climate change.
Chile's Presidential Elections: A Report from the Field
January 21, 2010 // 8:00am — 9:30am
Latin American Program
At a Latin American Program seminar, Chilean scholar Patricio Navia of New York University discussed the decline of the Concertación coalition, Piñera's and the Alianza's success, and the future political outlook for Chile.
Democratization as a Source of Tension Between the United States and Egypt
December 14, 2009 // 11:00am — 12:00pm
Middle East Program
Heba Elkoudsy, Visiting Arab Journalist, Woodrow Wilson Center
Support for Democracy From Poland to Serbia to Georgia: The Role of Supranational Identity, International Institutions, and Soft Power
December 09, 2009 // 11:00am — 12:00pm
European Studies
Competing democratization theories analyze various factors—such as economic development, history, culture, or elite inclination—to determine the propensity of a particular state to become democratic. Each of these theories has distinct policy implications for external democracy promoters. Ryan Kennedy suggested another factor, based on social identity theory, which posits that diplomacy figures much more prominently in democracy promotion than current practice would suggest.
10th Annual Czech and Slovak Freedom Lecture: Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the Velvet Revolution
December 09, 2009 // 9:00am — 10:00am
European Studies
Mirek Topolanek remarked that, at the 20th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, the democratic development of the Czech Republic is entering uncharted territory. To date, the Czech Republic and Slovakia have been governed democratically for a record 20 years. Although the legend of Tomas Masaryk is often remembered as the golden age of democratic thought, the first and second republics proved to be only an intermediate step to the authoritarian Communist period. "Twenty years is just the ‘half time,'" Topolanek argued, and the next two decades should be spent ensuring that the new generations continue to appreciate the sacrifices their parents made for freedom and democracy.
Governance and Democratic Politics in Honduras
December 08, 2009 // 9:00am — 11:00am
Latin American Program
The event sought to examine the status of democratic governance in Honduras in light of the June 28 coup d'état, November presidential elections, and prospects for reconciliation in the post-electoral period.
Uruguay's Presidential Race: A Post-Election Assessment
December 04, 2009 // 8:00am — 9:30am
Latin American Program
Two distinguished scholars of contemporary Uruguay's politics and economics interpreted the election results and what they portend for the future of Uruguay.
Prisons and Protests: Covering Iran After the Election
November 30, 2009 // 3:00pm — 4:30pm
Middle East Program
Iason Athanasiadis, Freelance journalist; Barbara Slavin, Assistant Managing Editor, World and National Security, The Washington Times; Jon Sawyer, Executive Director, Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting
Populism of the 21st Century
October 08, 2009 // 9:00am — 6:00pm
Latin American Program
The Latin American Program hosted a distinguished group of Latin American, U.S., and European scholars to discuss the revival of populism in Latin America and its consequences for the future of democratic governance in the region.