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    • -Democracy Research News-

    July 2009



    Welcome to Democracy Research News, the newsletter of the Network of Democracy Research Institutes (NDRI). The Network is a membership association of institutions that conduct and publish research on democracy and democratic development. It is also one of several functional networks associated with the World Movement for Democracy (www.wmd.org). This newsletter is one means of informing democracy scholars and others worldwide about the activities of and publications produced by NDRI member institutes. The newsletter will continue to evolve as the Network grows, and we invite readers' comments and suggestions of useful features they would like to see in future issues. Additional information about the Network and profiles of all member institutes are available at www.wmd.org/ndri/ndri.html. To submit comments or to inquire about joining the Network, please write to Melissa Aten ().

    Subscribing to Democracy Research News
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    Contents
    1. News and Announcements
    2. New Publications and Recent Events by NDRI Members
       2.1 Africa
       2.2 Asia and the Pacific
       2.3 Europe
       2.4 Latin America
       2.5 Middle East
       2.6 Russia and the Former Soviet Union
       2.7 United States and Canada

    1. NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

    Afrobarometer Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary
    On May 25, 2009, Afrobarometer celebrated its 10-year anniversary, marking the occasion with the release of results from its fourth round of surveys, conducted in 19 countries in 2008. Afrobarometer conducted its first interview in Ghana in July 1999 and has now completed over 105,000 interviews in 20 countries. More information about the fourth and previous rounds of survey results can by found here.

    Call for Papers: Romanian Journal of Political Science
    The Romanian Academic Society (SAR) has issued a call for papers on “Twenty Years After: From Fall to Fall?” for its biannual Romanian Journal of Political Science. The editors invite paper submissions on the following questions: how sustainable is the success of Eastern European countries? What explains their uneven performance during the transition and integration years? After the economic crisis, is “catching-up” to remain only a distant dream? Are the lines dividing the region to become permanent? Submitted papers should be between 5,000 and 12,000 words in length, typed in Times New Roman font sized 12 with 1.5 line spacing. References and citations should follow Harvard style. The deadline for submission is September 15, 2009. More information about the call for papers can be found here.

    Human Rights Centre (United Kingdom) Appoints New Executive Director
    Dr. Stuart Wilks-Heeg has been appointed as the new director of the Human Rights Centre’s Democratic Audit, where he will serve until 2012. A political scientist with over 15 years research experience, Stuart is widely known in both academic and policy circles for his work on local government and politics. More information about Dr. Wilks-Heeg is available here.

    Caucasian Institute for Peace, Democracy, and Development (CIPDD, Georgia) Appoints New Chairman
    On July 17, the CIPDD board of directors accepted the resignation of Chairman David Aprasidze, who is moving to Duke University on a Fulbright fellowship, and appointed Ghia Nodia to the position. Mr. Nodia served as CIPDD chairman from 1992 to January 2008, when he left to become the Minister of Education and Science of Georgia. More information about Mr. Nodia is available here.

    Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) Awarded Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement
     The State of Israel awarded IDI for its “Special Contribution to Society and State,” the country’s highest honor, given to individuals and organizations that excel in their role within Israeli society. The Israel Prize Commission noted that IDI is the “center with the greatest professional and public influence on the constitutional and democratic discourse in Israel.” More information about the award is available here.

    European Stability Initiative (ESI, Turkey) Marks 10-Year Anniversary
     In July 2009, ESI celebrated its 10th anniversary with a conference on “Where New Ideas Are Born: ESI Anniversary Conference Story” in Istanbul, Turkey. The conference gathered influential scholars and journalists to debate topics on Turkey, the Southern Caucasus, the European Union, and the future of the Balkans. More information about the conference is available here.

    Call for Applications: Fellowships at the International Forum for Democratic Studies (IFDS, U.S.)
    The International Forum for Democratic Studies’ Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellowship Program invites applications for fellowships in 2010–2011 in Washington, D.C. The program enables democracy activists, practitioners, scholars, and journalists from around the world to deepen their understanding of democracy and enhance their ability to promote democratic change. Dedicated to international exchange, this five-month, residential program offers a collegial environment for fellows to reflect on their experiences and consider lessons learned; conduct research and writing; develop contacts and exchange ideas with counterparts in Washington, D.C.; and build ties that contribute to the development of a global network of democracy advocates. The program is intended primarily to support activists, practitioners, and scholars from developing and aspiring democracies; distinguished scholars from established democracies are also eligible to apply. A working knowledge of English is required. All fellows receive a monthly stipend, health insurance, travel assistance, and research support. The application deadline for fellowships in 2010–2011 is Monday, November 2, 2009. More information and application instructions are available here.

    NDRI Conference on “Poverty, Inequality, and Democracy” Convened in Bratislava, Slovakia
    On April 26–28, 2009, the International Forum for Democratic Studies (IFDS, US), the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law at Stanford University (CDDRL, US), and the Institute for Public Affairs (IVO, Slovakia) convened an NDRI conference on “Poverty, Inequality, and Democracy.” The conference brought together NDRI members from around the world to discuss papers on “What Inequality Is and Is Not,” “New Strategies for Combating Poverty and Inequality–Eastern Europe,” “New Strategies for Combating Poverty and Inequality–Latin America,” and “Reforming the Welfare State in New Democracies.” Regional roundtables on Africa, Turkey, and Asia were also convened. A conference report and list of participants will be posted soon.

    NDRI Welcomes Two New Members:
     We are pleased to welcome the following new members of the research network (whose activities are reported in the appropriate geographic section of this newsletter):

    • the Center for the Peace and Civil Society (CPCS, Pakistan), a an independent think-tank that works for strengthening the political and civil society based on principles of democracy, freedom, and justice; and

    • Liberia Democracy Watch, a think tank founded by a group of university graduates who envisioned a society devoid of socio-political abuses, corruption, and the weaning respect for the rule of law.

    2. New Publications and Recent Events by NDRI Members

    Africa

    On May 25, the Afrobarometer released the results from its fourth round of surveys, conducted in 19 countries during 2008. In conjunction with the release, Afrobarometer published several papers that analyze the main trends in democracy and regime consolidation, poverty reduction, globalization and cosmopolitanism, and the emergence of democratic citizens on the continent. “The Quality of Democracy and Governance in Africa: New Results from Afrobarometer Round 4,” by Carolyn Logan and Eric Little, reports “just the facts” that summarize key public attitudes on democracy; trust, legitimacy, and the rule of law; accountability; government performance; leadership; individual efficacy and action; social capital and equality; the economy; and cosmopolitanism and international perspectives.

    The May 2009 Briefing Paper on “Neither Consolidating Nor Fully Democratic: The Evolution of African Political Regimes, 1999–2008,” by Robert Mattes and Michael Bratton, examines how, despite the inclusion of many of the most politically liberal countries in the survey, an assessment of the quality of these regimes based on popular attitudes and perceptions reveals no consolidated democracies. Rather, most can be categorized as unconsolidated, hybrid regimes that exhibit key elements of democracy, but “either the popular demand for democracy, or the perceived supply of democracy, or, in most cases, both, fall short of the standards of full democracy.”

    “Poverty Reduction, Economic Growth and Democratization in Sub-Saharan Africa,” also by Robert Mattes and Michael Bratton, reveals the pervasiveness of lived poverty in 2008 in Africa, with increases in poverty levels in six countries, and the connection between changes in poverty and political freedom levels. The authors corroborate the findings of others that there is a “democracy advantage” for well being and prosperity.

    In “Citizens of the World?: Africans, Media, and Telecommunications,” Zenobia Ismail and Paul Graham use three indicators (access to media, use of telecommunications technology, particularly the internet, and connections to transnational migrants) to determine the extent to which Africans are cosmopolitan “citizens of the world” and conclude that—despite the fact that Africans are very connected to the outside world in some respects—the majority “continue to be local rather than world citizens.”

    Finally, in “Are Democratic Citizens Emerging in Africa?” Evidence from the Afrobarometer,” E. Gyimah-Boadi and Daniel Armah Attoh explore three aspects of democratic citizenship in Africa—possession of democratic attitudes and values, demonstration of political knowledge and engagement, and exhibition of democratic behaviors through civic participation—and find some encouraging indicators in all aspects of democratic citizenship. They also discover some indicators that raise questions about the depth and extent of “democraticness” among Africans in the countries surveyed.

    Access to the fourth round of survey data, data analysis, press coverage, and more is available here.

    The Ghana Center for Democratic Development recently published two issues of Democracy Watch, the Center’s monthly newsletter. The June 2009 issue includes articles on “In the Annuals of Democratic Transition,” in which difficulties surrounding the transition to President Mills’s administration are detailed; “Governing by Press Release,” in which the practice by Ghanaian politicians of using media announcements rather than by formal written executive directives is examined; and “The NDC’s First 100 Days in Office,” in which the promises made in the NDC’s manifesto are assessed.

    The May 2009 Democracy Watch is devoted to analyzing aspects of the December 2008 presidential and parliamentary elections that brought the National Democratic Congress to power. Featured articles include “Worrisome Developments in the 2008 Polls,” “Tensions, Conflicts, and Violence in the December Polls,” “Lessons to Promote Violence Free and Peaceful Elections in Ghana,” and “Resolving Violent Communal Conflicts More Comprehensively.”

    In April 2009, the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS, South Africa) published a Policy Brief on “Democratic Consolidation, Substantive Uncertainty and Institutional Certainty: Prospects for the Re-Alignment of Opposition Politics in South Africa,” by Aubrey Matshiqi. Noting the dominance of one party, the African National Congress, in South African politics, the author examines the emergence of a new party—the Congress of the People (COPE)—and its potential impact on opposition politics and ANC support, prospects for coalitions, and prospects for a re-alignment of opposition politics.

    CPS also recently published two editions of Synopsis, the Centre’s Policy Studies Bulletin. The June 2009 issue included articles on “The 2009 Election: Understanding the ANC’s Dominance” by Fiona White; “Prospects for Provinces under a Zuma Presidency” by Thabo Rapoo; “Youth Uninspired by Politics?” by Robin Richards and Lungile Zakwe; and “Gender in the 2009 Elections Agenda: Prospects and Implications for Equality and Empowerment” by Lebogang Mokwena. The May 2009 issue includes articles on “African Integration Governance Challenges in the 21st Century: An Overview” by Francis Kornegay; “African Integration and the European Union: View and Perspectives” by Lorenzo Fioramonti; “Reviewing the EU Audit: Implications for a Union Government” by Francis Ikome; and “Regional Economic Communities and Conflict Resolution” by Steve McDonald.

    In May 2009, the Institute for Democracy in South Africa (Idasa) published Developing a Transformation Agenda for Zimbabwe, by Shari Eppel and Brian Raftopoulos, a book that emerged from a series of roundtable discussions between shareholders in Zimbabwe and the wider South African region. The authors analyze the political and economic constraints on Zimbabwe’s democratic transformation and consider the case for a “truth commission” process in the country, the need for a stabilization program to ensure reconstruction, and the role of the military in the reform of the security sector in Zimbabwe.

    In July 2009, Idasa published a research report on “Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil: A Critique of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Report on the 2008 Elections,” by Daryl Matyszak, in which the author details how the Commission failed to fulfill its constitutional mandate in terms of preparing for, conducting, and supervising “elections to the office of the President and to Parliament; and elections to the governing bodies of local authorities; and to ensure that those elections…are conducted efficiently, freely, fairly, transparently, and in accordance with the law.”

    In July 2009, Idasa also published a roundtable report on “Judicial Ethics in South Africa,” by Shameela Seedat, in which participants discussed the development of a standard of conduct for judges in South Africa, in anticipation of a government-led initiative to codify regulations to address the content of a new code on judicial conduct and a financial disclosure scheme for judges.

    Idasa also published the May and June 2009 issues of Democracy in Action, the Institute’s monthly newsletter.

    Asia and the Pacific

    On June 22–26, 2009, the Centre for Democratic Institutions (CDI, Australia) held its inaugural Professional Development Course for Parliamentary Speakers from Pacific Island Countries. Designed to help high ranking parliamentarians improve the conditions, quality, and public standing of their parliaments, the course offered suggestions to enable Speakers to effectively interact with their parliaments, administrations, and publics in a democratic manner. A full course report and program are available here.

    On May 18–29, 2009, CDI conducted its Political Party Development (PPD) course in Canberra, Australia. The course is designed to “provide senior political party officials from the Southeast Asia-South Pacific region with the skills to strengthen their parties and party systems, with the objectives being improved governance and more stable democracies.” The goal of the course is to provide participants with information on the Australian political system, an overview of political party theory and development, an understanding of parties and party systems in the region, and an opportunity to network with other parties in their region. A course report, overview, and program are available here.

    CDI also published the June/July 2009 CDI.News, a bi-monthly newsletter that highlights the Centre’s most recent and forthcoming activities, publications, and projects.

    In May 2009, the Accountability Initiative, a major project of the Centre for Policy Research (CPR, India) published a Working Paper on the “State of Accountability: Evolution, Practice, and Emerging Questions in Public Accountability in India,” by Bala Posani and Yamini Aiyar, in which the authors provide an overview of the evolution of thought and practice in public accountability in India through its current emphasis on citizen-led accountability projects. They also detail the various mechanisms and instruments citizens use to scrutinize the state and identify key limitations to these methods.

    The Accountability Initiative also launched a new blog, the Accountability Forum, the aim of which is to post articles and links to news in the Indian press about absenteeism, incompetence, inefficiency, and corruption—all recognized by the Initiative as plaguing India’s public sector.

    In April 2009, Civic Exchange (Hong Kong) published a report on “Managing Public Records and Preserving Heritage for Good Governance” that summarizes the key findings of a March 7 seminar that aimed to understand the current status of managing public records in Hong Kong and other jurisdictions and the role the business sector and civic groups have in managing archives and preserving heritage; explore ways to improve Hong Kong’s public records and archives management system; and allow participants to exchange ideas and network. Panels at the seminars included “Public Records Management: When Hong Kong Meets the Globe,” “Archives and Heritage Preservation: The Non-Governmental Forces,” “Linking Public Records Management and Heritage Preservation to Good Governance,” and “The Way Forward.”

    In July 2009, the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) published a Discussion Paper on “Proposed Amendments to the Constitution of Pakistan,” by Shahid Hamid. The paper is intended to start an informed debate that will be of use to the Parliamentary Committee recently formed to consider various amendments to Pakistan’s constitution. Mr. Hamid specifically focuses on the Objectives Resolution, the demand for more provinces, provincial autonomy, freedom of association with reference to political parties, local government, powers of the president, sharing of powers between the president and the prime minister, and constitutional validations of the various periods of martial law or military rule.

    In June 2009, PILDAT published a Background Paper on “How to Review the Defense Budget,” by Amiya Kumar Ghosh, in which the author discusses various aspects of the processes involved in the parliamentary review of the defense budget in India by explaining the budgeting process in India, providing detailed description of the defense budget, reviewing the function of the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Defense, and revealing applicable lessons for Pakistan to be learned from the Indian experience.

    The May–August 2009 Journal of East Asian Studies, edited by the East Asia Institute (EAI, South Korea) and published by Lynne Rienner Publishers includes articles on “Labor Rights in East Asia: Progress or Regress?” by Teri L. Caraway; “Patterns of Civilian Control of the Military in East Asia’s New Democracies” by Aurel Croissant and David Kuehn; “The disbursement Pattern of Japanese Foreign Aid: A Reappraisal” by John P. Tuman, Jonathan R. Strand, and Craig F. Emmert; “Out of the Gray: The Impact of Provincial Institutions on Business Formalization in Vietnam” by Edmund Malesky and Markus Taussig; and “Institution (Dis)Incentives to Innovate: An Explanation for Singapore’s Innovation Gap” by Richard W. Carney and Loh Yi Zheng.

    EAI also published a May 2009 Working Paper on “Mongolia’s Geopolitical Gambit: Preserving a Precarious Independence while Resisting ‘Soft Colonialism,’” by Alan M. Wachman, in which the author examines Mongolia’s development of relationships with “third neighbors,” or countries such as the United States, to counterbalance the influence of its actual neighbors, Russia and China. Mr. Wachman argues that the country’s independence is affected by the geopolitical rivalries among these great powers and that competition for access to mineral and energy resources leaves Mongolia vulnerable to “soft colonialism” that could further affect its economic and political autonomy.

    In June, the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA, Sri Lanka) published a report on “Best Practices and Potential for Improved Information Flows in Media and Civil Society” that examines the favorable and unfavorable conditions that affect the flow of information in support of peace, human rights, and democratic governance between civil society and mainstream media in Sri Lanka. It also includes three annexes that analyze the media landscape, the regulatory framework in which media operates, and publications of human rights issues in mainstream media in the country.

    Europe

    The Access to Information Program (AIP, Bulgaria) published Access to Information in Bulgaria 2008, a report documenting Bulgaria’s progress toward the execution of the right to public information. The report is authored by Gergana Jouleva, Alexander Kashumov, Darina Palova, Kiril Terziyski, and Fany Davidova, and documents two recent developments: the adoption of the Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents and the promulgation of amendments to the Bulgarian Access to Public Information Act (APIA).

    In July 2009, the Centre for Liberal Strategies (CLS, Bulgaria) published the latest edition of Foreign Policy Bulgaria, the Bulgarian-language version of the United States’ Foreign Policy. CLS published another edition of the magazine in April.

    Additionally, in June 2009, CLS published “The Archives of the Bulgarian National Bank from the Period of the Communist Regime in Bulgaria, 1948–1990,” (in Bulgarian) by Roumen Avramov, in which the author uses archives to convey a history of the Bulgarian National Bank during Bulgaria’s communist regime.

    In July, the Institute for Regional and International Studies (IRIS, Bulgaria) published “Peace Keeping in the Black Sea Region.” The article “addresses the concept of peacekeeping as it relates to the policies and actions of parties, nation-states and various organizations in the Black Sea region where tensions of various types have been present already.” The article also examines international and regional actors engaged in post-conflict reconstruction.

    The Center for Policy Studies (CPS, Hungary) published three background reports on education in Slovakia, Germany, and the Czech Republic, and a background report on ethnic relations in the Czech Republic. The reports are part of CPS’ larger research project, Ethnic Differences in Education and Diverging Prospects for Urban Youth in an Enlarged Europe (EDUMIGROM), a comparative investigation in ethnically diverse communities with second-generation migrants and Roma. The education reports are authored by Peter Dral, David Kostlan, and Zuzana Kusa (Slovakia); Frauke Meira (Germany); and Denisa Katzorova, Katerina Sidiropulu Janku, Radim Marada and Arnost Svoboda (Czech Republic). Laura and Marketa Laubeova wrote the report on ethnic relations in the Czech Republic. The background reports can be accessed through EDUMIGROM’s new publications page.

    The Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS 'Viitorul', Moldova) published a March–May 2009 Discussion Paper on “Russian Foreign Policy as an Obstacle to Democratic Development in Post-Soviet Area,” by Dumitru Mînzarari, in which the author argues that “indirect aggression is used in Russian foreign policy to revert democratic transition in Moldova.”

    IDIS also published “National Business Agenda 2009: Priorities for Competitive and Attractive Business Environment Development in the Republic of Moldova” and “The Strategy of Social and Economic Development of Gagauzia (Gagauz Yeri) 2009–2015.” The former focuses on building a healthy climate for investment in Moldova while the latter, edited by Igor Munteanu and Liubomir Chiriac, assesses the Strategy of Social and Economic Development of the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia (ATUG) for 2009–2015.

    In June 2009, the Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEM, Montenegro) published a report on its polling of “Citizens Attitudes Toward NATO Integration of Montenegro.” The research was conducted between June 11–19 and includes 1,015 respondents on a variety of political and military/security questions related to Montenegro’s application to NATO’s Partnership for Peace program.

    CEDEM also published the April–June 2009 Democracy Index newsletter, which includes polling information collected by CEDEM on Montenegrins’ perceptions of gender equality in their country. The newsletter also includes a poll asking Montenegrins if they believe their government is doing an adequate job providing for the needs of the disabled.

    The Institute of Public Affairs (ISP, Poland) published a Research Report in July 2009 on “The Czech Presidency in the Council of the European Union – the View from Poland,” by Aleksander Fuksiewicz and Agnieszka Lada, in which the authors assess the recent Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The Czech Presidency, from “the very beginning, attracted negative comments, especially in the ‘old’ member states.”

    ISP also published a Policy Paper on “Southern Perceptions about the Union for the Mediterranean,” by Ahmed Driss, in which the author analyzes the debate within the EU about its relations with non-EU Mediterranean countries, namely the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership and the European Neighborhood Policy.

    The Romanian Academic Society (SAR) published a Policy Brief by Alina Mungiu Pippidi on the “European Elections 2009 – Why These Results?” in which Ms. Pippidi explores the results of the recent EU parliamentary elections as “having nothing to do with the EU, but EU member countries.”

    In March 2009, the Center for Liberal–Democratic Studies (CLDS, Serbia) published a Working Paper on “Political Economy of Enterprise Restructuring and Election Results in Serbia,” by Boris Begovic and Marko Paunovic, in which the authors “examine a specific reform policy toward real sector enterprise restructuring in Serbia after 2000 from the perspective of political economy. To that end, the specific objective of this paper is to examine the correlation between political support to real sector enterprise restructuring in Serbia and a government decision regarding the policy of their restructuring.”

    The Institute for Public Affairs (IVO, Slovakia) published its barometer of the “Quality of Democracy in the 2nd Quarter-Year of 2009” and find a negative trend in Slovaks’ perceptions of the quality of their democracy caused by worsened evaluations of three surveyed areas: democratic institutions and rule of law, human and minority rights, and independent media.

    In June 2009, the Democratisation and Rule of Law Program of FRIDE (La Fundación para las Relaciones Internacionales y el Diálogo Exterior, Spain) published Islamist Radicalisation: The Challenge for Euro-Mediterranean Relations, edited by Michael Emerson, Kristina Kausch, and Richard Youngs. In this edited volume, European and regional experts analyze trends driving the “radicalization of political Islam as well as the contrary trend of de-radicalization observed in some countries where Islamist parties have secured democratic political participation.” Contributing authors ask whether the EU should soften its policies to engage more moderate Islamist parties and recognize radical Islamist movements, such as Hamas, who achieve democratic electoral success and legitimacy.

    Kristina Kausch’s July 2009 Working Paper on “Tunisia: The Life of Others” outlines a number of obstacles to free association in Tunisia, a unique country in the region that has managed impressive socio-economic development while maintaining a high level of political repression. The obstacles discussed by Ms. Kausch include the “extra-legal position of the majority of political civil society; the regime’s policy of systematic surveillance and harassment of activists and opposition; the tight governmental control over the media and telecommunication channels; and the regime’s persistent policy of repression towards any political actors with an Islamist leaning.”

    FRIDE has also published a number of Policy Briefs since the last issue of Democracy Research News, including “Moldova between Elections: Europe or Isolation?” (July 2009) by Balázs Jarábik; “The EU and Georgia’s Turmoil” (June 2009) by Balázs Jarábik and Tornike Sharashenidze; “The EU’s Approach to Israel and the Palestinians” (June 2009) by Clara Marina O’Donnell; and “Is There a Better Strategy for Afghanistan?” (May 2009) by David García Cantalapiedra.

    Since the last issue of Democracy Research News, the Quality of Government Institute (QoG, Sweden) has added fourteen Working Papers to its Web site, including “Scandal Fatigue: Scandal Elections and Satisfaction with Democracy in Western Europe 1977–2007” by Staffan Kumlim and Peter Esaiasson; “Political Appointments in 18 Democracy, 1975–2007” by Carl Dahlström; “Political Administration: Cultures of Fragmentation behind Goal-Failure” by Helena Olofsdotter Stensöta; “Dying of Corruption” by Sören Holmberg & Bo Rothstein; “Deliberation or Jurisdiction? Testing the Effectiveness of Different Routes towards Gender Equality” by Martin Sjöstedt; “The Correlates of Corruption in India: Analysis and Evidence from the States” by Nicholas Charron; and “Curbing Corruption Through Social Welfare Reform? The Effects of Mexico’s Conditional Cash Transfer Program on Good Government” by Marcia Grimes & Lena Wängnerud. Full text of these and past Working Papers are available here.

    Richard Rose, director of the Centre for the Study of Public Policy (CSPP, United Kingdom) and Neil Munro published Parties and Elections in New European Democracies (ECPR Press) in April 2009. The book details how the supply of parties by political elites “shapes the responses of inexperienced electors” and shows how this “creates a floating system of parties and prevents the establishment of durable party identifications.” The book also provides election results and party emergence in ten new EU countries from January 1990 to January 2009. More information about the book and purchasing information are available here.

    Latin America

    The Center for the Implementation of Public Policies Promoting Equity and Growth (CIPPEC, Argentina) recently published several papers, including a July 2009 Working Paper on “Los vínculos entre Estado y sociedad civil en el proceso participativo de Planificación Estratégica” (The Links between State and Civil Society in the Participatory Process of Strategic Planning), by Vanesa Weyrauch, Gala Díaz Langou, and Leandro Echt; a July 2009 paper on “Apuntes para una definición del lobby y la gestión de intereses en la Argentina” (Notes toward a Definition of Lobby and the Management of Interests in Argentina), by Eugenia Braguinsky and María Fernanda Araujo; a May 2009 Working Paper on “Generación de aprendizajes sobre el vínculo entre Estado y sociedad civil en el proceso de diagnóstico participativo” (Generating Knowledge about the Links between State and Civil Society in the Process of Participatory Diagnostics), by Vanesa Weyrauch, Julia D'Agostino and Carlos Jiménez; and a May 2009 Policy Paper on “El camino hacia boleta única” (The Road toward a Single Election Ballot), by Fernando Straface and Geraldine Oniszczuk.

    CIPPEC also recently published two books: Acercando la investigación a las políticas públicas en América Latina (Bringing Together Research and the Public Policies in Latin America) (June 2009) and Construyendo confianza. Hacia un nuevo vínculo entre Estado y Sociedad Civil. Volumen II (Building Confidence: Toward a New Link between State and Civil Society) (April 2009).

    The Center for Opening and Development in Latin America (CADAL, Argentina) also recently published several papers, including “Análisis de la Memoria Detallada del estado de la Nación Argentina 2008” (Analysis of the Report on Argentina’s 2008 State of the Union Address) (May 26, 2009), by Adrián Lucardi and Florencia Gómez Stoppello; “El dilema de América del Sur en el siglo XXI: democracia de mercado con Estado de Derecho o populismo” (The South American Dilemma in the Twenty-First Century: Market Democracy with the Rule of Law or Populism) (May 5, 2009), by Héctor Ricardo Leis and Eduardo Viola; and “La esclavitud del siglo XXI” (Slavery in the Twenty-First Century) (April 14, 2009) by Hilda Molina.

    Since the last issue of Democracy Research News, the Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas, A.C. (CIDE, Mexico) published “Academic Market Failure Data Availability and Quality in Comparative Politics” by Andreas Schedler; “Inconsistencias contaminantes: Gobernación electoral y conflicto postelectoral en las elecciones presidenciales de 2006” (Damaging Inconsistencies: Electoral Governance and Post-Electoral Conflict in the Presidential Elections of 2006) by Andreas Schedler; “La rendición de cuentas de transferencias intergubernamentales: el caso del FAIS" (The Accountability of Intergovernmental Transfers: The Case of the Investment Fund of Social Infrastructure) by Guillermo M. Cejudo and Roberto Gerhard; and "Oportunidades móviles: Pobreza y acceso telefónico en Latinoamérica y el Caribe: El caso de México” (Mobile Opportunities: Poverty and Telephone Access in Latin America and the Caribbean: The Case of Mexico) by Judith Mariscal.

    Middle East

    The Ibn Khaldun Center for Development Studies (ICDS, Egypt) recently released two issues of Civil Society and Democratization in the Arab World. Featured articles in the April 2009 issue include “Pressure on Hamas in Reconciliation Talks” by Saad Eddin Ibrahim; “Egyptian Youth Activists Embrace the Internet, But Has the Rest of the Country?” by Khaled Hroub; “April 6 Youth: Just Another Egyptian Grassroots Movement” by Deena Khalil; and “Reelecting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Human Rights Council? Is America Really that Bad?” by Dalia Ziada. The March 2009 issue includes articles on “The Case for a Quota: Why the Time Is Right for a Gender Quota in Egypt” by Pauline Lewis; “On the Phenomenon of Formal Religiosity in Egypt” by Mustafa An-Nabrawi; and “About El Bashir and Setting Precedents” by Hassan Elsawaf.

    In January 2009, the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) launched Terrorism and Democracy, a monthly newsletter created to “shed light on relatively unknown counterterrorist measures and policies adopted by Israel or related to the security situation in Israel.” The June 2009 issue includes articles on “No Safe Place: Report on the Arab League’s Independent Fact Finding Committee Following ‘Operation Cast Lead’” by Ido Rosenzweig and Yuval Shany; “Committee Against Torture: Consideration of the Government of the State of Israel’s Fourth Periodic Report” by Ido Rosenzweig and Yuval Shany; and “A New Ministerial Committee on the International and Diplomatic Aspects of the State of Israel’s War on Terrorism” by Ido Rosenzweig and Yuval Shany.

    In April 2009, IDI also published “Participation, Abstention and Boycott: Trends in Arab Voter Turnout in Israeli Elections,” by Karin Tamar Schafferman in which the author discusses the reasons for the increasingly lower voter turnout among Arab Israeli citizens, including a wider dissatisfaction and apathy among all Israeli voters, a self-awareness among Israeli Arabs of “its own insignificance in Israel’s political configuration and of its inability to affect government policy,” disappointment with Arab leadership, and protest against the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

    In July 2009, the Al-Urdun Al-Jadid Research Center (Jordan, UJRC) published Who’s Who in the Jordanian Parliament 2007–2011, by Hani Hourani and May Al-Taher, a book that identifies the 2007–2011 Jordanian Parliament in its upper and lower houses. The authors also highlight the major characteristics of the Jordanian political system and the place of parliament within this system, chronicle major events in Parliament from 2001 to the present, and explain the main features and mechanisms of its Houses.

    In June 2009, the Center for Strategic Studies (Jordan) published “Public Opinion Leaders’ Evaluation on the Performance of the Current Lower House since its Election,” in which respondents were queried on their satisfaction with and evaluation of the Lower House in carrying out its “fundamental constitutional duties: its monitoring role, questioning role and its control of public spending.” The poll also asked public opinion leaders their evaluation of the extent to which members of parliament communicated with citizens and of the women’s quota system, in addition to the Lower House’s independence and the main determinants of MP voting.

    In June 2009, the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) published a Joint Israeli-Palestinian Poll that found pessimism among both Israelis and Palestinians regarding the prospects for a Palestinian state in the next few years, but majorities on both sides support a two-state solution. The poll also found that President Obama’s Cairo speech had the effect of somewhat decreasing pessimism among Israelis and slightly increasing support for a two-state solution. On Iran’s attempt to obtain nuclear weapons, the poll found that only 43 percent of Palestinians queried believe that Iran’s nuclearization would have positive consequences for the Arab region and 52 percent of Israelis support the bombing of the Iranian nuclear facilities if international mediation efforts fail.

    In May 2009, PSR also published Palestinian Public Opinion Poll No (32), which found a stable balance of power between Fateh and Hamas compared to results obtained in the first quarter of the year. Results also show that most Palestinians have no confidence in the ability of Fateh and Hamas to reach a reconciliation agreement and that while the public tends to support Hamas’s position on the type of electoral system that should be adopted, the majority supports Fateh’s government platform. The poll also found a large majority (67 percent) do not believe it is possible to reach a permanent peace agreement with Israel.

    In July 2009, the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) published Almanac Turkey 2006–2008: Security Sector and Democratic Oversight, edited by Ali Bayramoglu and Ahmet Insel. The book examines security sector developments in Turkey from 2006 to the first half of 2009 and focuses on the position of security actors in political and social life. By examining historical background of the security sector, the book also examines the continuities and divergences these trends have taken over time. Full-text of the book (in Turkish with an English language introduction) is available here.

    In July 2009, TESEV also released an English-language version of “Modernity Does Not Tolerate Superstition: The Religious and Seculars in the Democratization Process,” by Ali Bayramoglu. Originally published in Turkish in November 2006, the author argues that both religious and secular communities in Turkey are experiencing a period of change, during which individuals are revising their opinions on previously polarizing issues, such as the headscarf ban. This period of change results in “a growing diversity of beliefs among those who identify as either ‘religious’ or ‘secular’ and a great opportunity for consensus between the two groups on issues such as democracy, freedom, and human rights.”

    In June 2009, the Gulf Research Center (GRC, United Arab Emirates) published its 6th annual Gulf Yearbook 2008–2009, providing overviews and analysis of key issues to facilitate understanding of the key political, economic, social, and strategic challenges faced by the Gulf region. The Yearbook is divided into sections that cover political developments, issues relating to the GCC’s relations with the US, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Turkey, defense and security matters, economic developments (particularly in the energy and telecom sectors), educational reform and water policies, and developments in two important countries in the region: Iran and Yemen. Information about purchasing the Yearbook can be found here.

    In July 2009, GRC also published Saudi Arabia, GCC and the EU: Limitations and Possibilities for an Unequal Triangular Relationship, by Ibrahim Suleiman Al-Duraiby. The book “aims to provide a comprehensive study of the possibility of a relationship between Saudi Arabia, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the European Union” and addresses issues that affect the evolving relationship between the three powers—security dynamics, cultural and human rights issues, and the economy. Information about the purchasing book can be found here.

    On May 5, 2009, the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID, United States) convened its 10th annual conference on “How to Improve Relations with the Muslim World: Challenges and Promises Ahead,” in Washington, D.C. The conference was divided into four separate panels. The first, “Developing Democracy in the Muslim World,” featured presentations Geneive Abdo, Cecile Coronato, and Sudha Ratan. “Prospects for Peace in the Middle East,” the second panel, focused on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and featured presentations by Halim Rane, Mohamed Nimer, and Nathan Funk. The third panel, “The Role of Religion in Developing Democracy” featured speeches by Laith Kubba, Alejandro Beutel, Amina Rasul-Bernardo, Nathan Brown, Osama Kadi, Sara Khorshid, Atef Saadawy, and Anwar Haddam. Finally, “Building Bridges of Understanding between the U.S. and the Muslim World” was the topic of the Hesham Reda Memorial Lecture and Annual Banquet Dinner. A conference report and papers from the conference are available here.

    Russia and the Former Soviet Union

    In April 2009, the Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy, and Development (CIPPD, Georgia) published “How Much Has the World Changed? Implications for Georgia's Policies,” by CIPDD Chairman Ghia Nodia, in which he analyzes whether recent events, such as the world economic crisis, the 2008 Russian-Georgian war, and the change of the American administration, require a fundamental overhaul of Georgia’s foreign policy. The study documents Georgia’s standing in a ‘post-Cold War’ era, as well as the changing dynamics of its relations with Russia, Ukraine, and Turkey.

    CIPDD’s June 2009 Policy Paper on “The Reform of the Georgian National Education System and Non-Georgian Schools,” by Shalva Tabatadze, reviews the current situation surrounding non-Georgian schools and ethnic minorities in the context of education reform, including a chapter containing strategies and recommendations to solve existing problems and develop future education policies.

    Finally, CIPDD released a March 2009 Policy Brief on “Problems of Media Pluralism in Georgia,” by Malkhaz Saldadze, in which the author assesses the dearth of media pluralism in Georgia, explaining state restrictions on Georgian media and how the political elite and media owners have prevented the emergence of independent media, while also offering alternative solutions to increase pluralism in mass media.

    In March 2009, the Carnegie Moscow Center(Russia) published “Russia and the Global Meltdown: Domestic and Foreign Policy Responses to the International Financial Crisis,” a report by Robert Jellinek that addresses the Russian government’s responses to the global financial crisis. The report raises questions about the sustainability of current authoritarian trends and the attainability of Russia’s international ambitions in the aftermath of the crisis while analyzing the nexus between Russia’s foreign and domestic policies. The report counters arguments that Russia is likely to become a regional leader in a multipolar world.

    The Center also recently published two Briefing Papers. The first, “Islam and the Paths of Pakistan’s Political Development,” (April 2009) by Peter Topychkanov, examines the foundations of Pakistan’s political system, paying particular attention to questions of national identity and the role of religion in the state. Martha Brill Olcott’s “A New Direction for U.S. Policy in the Caspian Region,” (February 2009) analyzes U.S. engagement with the Caspian states and delineates policy solutions to stem the United States’ waning influence in the region. Recommendations include the United States taking a short- and medium-term problem solving approach to the region that recognizes Russian and Chinese interests, as well as a re-positioning its policies on military/security, energy, and political development issues. The paper also calls for the Obama Administration to appoint a special envoy to the Caspian region.

    Finally, the Center published the March–April 2009 Pro et Contra on “Afghanistan as an International Problem.” Contributors to the journal analyze how—despite broad international solidarity—the problems of Afghanistan remain practically insoluble. Summaries of all articles in English and full text in Russian are available here.

    The International Centre for Policy Studies (ICPS, Ukraine) recently published “European Integration: New Context, New Institutions,” by Olga Schumylo and Victoria Gumeniuk. The report evaluates Ukraine’s progress toward EU integration, including its reform of domestic institutions and its establishment of a Bureau of Coordination charged with handling the administrative coordination of EU integration. The report also establishes the nature of the gap between reality and expectations and provides step-by-step recommendations as how to remove this gap.

    Recent issues of ICPS News, the Centre’s weekly newsletter, include a February 23, 2009, issue on “Downsizing in Consumer Mood Breaks More Records” that analyzes the impact of consumer confidence numbers; a March 2, 2009, issue on “The 2009 Gas Dispute: Implications for Ukraine, Russia, and the EU” that explores implications of the recent gas dispute between Russia, Ukraine, and the European Union, recommending that Ukraine make its gas import scheme more transparent and bring its import prices in greater convergence with the EU; a June 22, 2009, issue on “EU Environmental Policy: Looking for Opportunities to Cooperate” that evaluates the problem of pollution in Europe’s maritime basins while asking how policy solutions might be enhanced by sub-regional cooperation; and a July 20, 2009, edition on “Consensus Forecast: Things Will Get Better in 2010” that reviews the discussion of Ukraine’s economy at the recent quarterly consensus seminar on economic forecasting organized by Ukraine’s Ministry of the Economy on July 2, 2009.

    United States and Canada

    The Center for Democracy and Civil Society (CDACS, United States) published the Spring 2009 Democracy and Society, a special issue on “The Resurgence of Authoritarian Politics.” Articles featured in the newsletter include “The Challenge of China,” by Rana Siu Inboden, which examines “the limited results of current efforts by the international community at fostering democracy” in China and offers recommendations to refocus and reshape them. “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad: The Future of U.S. Policy in the Gulf,” by Jennifer Heeg Maruska, which argues that the U.S. should forget about democracy promotion in the Gulf for the time being, instead focusing on fostering stability and human rights. “Open Authoritarian Regimes: Surviving and Thriving in the Liberal International Order,” by Naazneen H. Barma, Ely Ratner, and Regine A. Spector,” argues that open authoritarian regimes—those that deliver economic success to their citizens through versions of state-controlled capitalism and excel at plugging into the international system in ways that allow them to benefit from globalization while maintaining control over their societies—appear to be indefinitely sustainable. Finally, “Exposing the Inherent Contradictions of Authoritarianism,” by Aleksandr Shkolnikov and John D. Sullivan, shows how, despite the frequent ability of authoritarian regimes to deliver impressive economic growth figures, their growth strategies are not sustainable over time and “their legitimacy is significantly shaken when they exhaust their short-lived economic potential.”

    The Center for the Study of Democracy at the University of California, Irvine (United States) recently added two papers to its e-Scholarship Repository. The June 2 “Styles of Political Representation: What Do Voters Expect?” by Åsa Bengtsson and Hanna Wass, argues that voter support for different styles of representation is connected to socio-demographic factors, party identification, and political orientation. Reza Pahlavi, the son of the former Shah of Iran, gave a May 27 lecture on “Iran-US Relations: At a New Cross Roads,” which details the possibilities, difficulties, and dangers of a future U.S.-Iran relationship.

    The Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law at Stanford University (CDDRL, United States) published a July 2009 Working Paper by John B. Dunlop on “The September 2004 Beslan Terrorist Incident: New Findings,” in which the author updates his 2006 book on the terrorist incident based on new information discovered by research conducted by North Ossetian and Russian women. Olena Nikolayenko’s June 2009 Working Paper on “Youth Movements in Post-Communist Societies: A Model of Nonviolent Resistance” explains the divergent outcomes of social movements in non-democracies in post-Soviet Europe by investigating the dynamics between challenger organizations and the ruling elite. She argues that both civic activists and autocratic incumbents in later social movements (Belarus and Azerbaijan) engaged in the process of political learning from earlier examples (Serbia and Ukraine).

    The International Forum for Democratic Studies (United States) published the July 2009 Journal of Democracy, which features a clusters of articles on “China Since Tiananmen” and “Democratization by Elections?” as well as individual case studies of Malaysia, Bangladesh, Moldova, Scotland, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. Full text of selected articles are available here.

    In July, the International Forum also launched its inaugural Journal of Democracy en Español at the International Political Science Association’s annual meeting in Chile. A joint publication of the International Forum and the Instituto de Ciencia Política de la Pontificia at the Catholic University in Chile and funded by a United Nations Democracy Fund grant features articles on “Radical Populism and Democracy in the Andes,” by Carlos de la Torre; “Paradoxes of Constitutional Reform in Latin America,” by Gabriel L. Negretto; and “Economic Volatility, Political Parties’ Weakness and Neo Caudillism in Latin America,” by Javier Corrales, as well as a number of translated articles that appeared in the Journal of Democracy. Each edition will include a classic piece on democracy, commissioned articles, and translated pieces. More information about the Journal en Español can be found here.

    The International Forum’s Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows program sponsored several events since the last issue of Democracy Research News, including a July 1 event on “Combating a Hidden Evil: The Fight against Human Trafficking in Russia,” featuring Ekaterina Osipova and Tatyana Volchetskaya; a June 30 event on “Losing Trust: Understanding Popular Disaffection with India’s Politicians,” featuring Ronojoy Sen; a June 25 event on “Grappling with the Rise of Political Islam: Threats or Opportunities for Indonesian Women?” featuring Siti Nurjanah and Gadis Arivia; a June 18 event on “How to Bring a Dictator to Justice: The Successful Extradition of Alberto Fujimori,” featuring Antonio Maldonado, Cynthia McClintock and Jo-Marie Burt; a June 9 event on “Mediated Politics: Reassessing Democratic Representation in Latin America,” featuring Enrique Peruzzotti; and a June 8 event on “Democracy under Fire in the Niger Delta,” featuring Anyakwee Nsirimovu and Peter Lewis. More information about these events, including audio or video recordings, are available here. More information about the Reagan Fascell Democracy Fellows program is available here.

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