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Democracy Research News

-Democracy Research News-

May-June 2007

Welcome to Democracy Research News, the quarterly 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 ().

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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

Call for Applications: NDRI Washington Workshop for Think Tank Managers
The International Forum for Democratic Studies is seeking applications for its fourth annual Washington Workshop for Think Tank Managers, which will be held September 17–21, 2007, in Washington, D.C. The workshop is designed for managers and administrators of research institutes, especially those responsible for publishing, communications and outreach, conference planning, Web site development, and fundraising. The week-long workshop will include meetings with senior-level managers at leading Washington policy-research centers, attendance at selected conferences organized by these centers, and extensive discussions and brainstorming among Forum staff and workshop participants.

Eligibility for this workshop is limited to current employees of NDRI members in developing democracies. Each NDRI institute may nominate one participant, and the nomination must be made by the president or executive director of the NDRI member. Institutes whose staff members attended previous workshops are eligible to nominate new participants for this year’s workshop, but individuals who attended previous workshops are not eligible to reapply. To apply, please send a letter from the director of an NDRI member nominating a workshop participant; a C.V. of the applicant; and a brief personal statement of interest by the applicant to Melissa Aten. We regret that we cannot consider applications from persons not formally affiliated with the NDRI. Application deadline is June 25, 2007.

Call for Applications: Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellowships
The Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program at the Washington, D.C.-based National Endowment for Democracy invites applications from candidates throughout the world for fellowships in 2008–2009. Established in 2001, the program enables democracy activists, practitioners, scholars, and journalists from around the world to deepen their understanding of democracy and to enhance their ability to promote democratic change. The program is intended primarily to support activists, practitioners, and scholars from new and aspiring democracies; distinguished scholars from the United States and other established democracies are also eligible to apply. Projects may focus on the political, social, economic, legal, and cultural aspects of democratic development and may include a range of methodologies and approaches. A working knowledge of English is an important prerequisite for participation in the program. The application deadline for fellowships in 2008–2009 is Thursday, November 1, 2007. For more information and application materials, visit www.ned.org/forum/reagan-fascell.html.

East Asia Institute Fellowship Opportunities
The East Asia Institute (EAI), based in Seoul, South Korea invites applications to its Fellows Program on Peace, Governance, and Development in East Asia. Established in 2005 with support from the Henry Luce Foundation, the Fellows Program targets United States-based East Asianists with cutting-edge expertise in political science, international relations, and sociology for an international exchange program with the goal of encouraging interdisciplinary research with a comparative perspective in the study of East Asia. Fellows choose the subjects of their articles, seminars and lectures within the broadly defined themes of peace, governance, and development in East Asia in order to make the visitation an integral part of their on-going research. Fellows are free to decide how they will divide their time among two or more Member Institutions, giving a seminar and a lecture apiece at each of the site chosen. The Member Institutions are the East Asia Institute in Seoul, Fudan University in Shanghai, Keio University in Tokyo, Peking University in Beijing, and Taiwan National University in Taipei. The East Asia Institute plans to select five Fellows in 2007. The program provides a total of $10,000 for each of the Fellows for a three-week visit or more. More information is available at www.eai.or.kr/english/fandj/FP01_temp.asp. The application deadline is July 31, 2007. For further information, contact fellowships@eai.or.kr, ATTN: Executive Director Ha-jeong Kim or call +82-2-2277-1683.

Spoofed Message from NDRI Email Account
It has recently come to our attention that someone sent a message from our ndri@ned.org email account. While we were unable to determine who sent this message, we wanted to let Network members know about the situation. If you should receive a message from ndri@ned.org that seems unusual or inappropriate, please contact Melissa Aten immediately.

NDRI Welcomes a New Member: We are pleased to welcome the following new member of the research network (whose activities are reported in the appropriate geographic sections of this newsletter):

• the Applied Research Center at IFES (ARC, www.ifes.org/arc.html), a center that seeks to bridge the gap between theories of democratic development and practical realities of democracy-building in order to enrich democracy programming.

2. New Publications and Recent Events by NDRI Members

Africa

Afrobarometer has added four new Working Papers since the last issue of Democracy Research News. In the April 2007 “Kenyans and Democracy: What Do They Really Want From It Anyway?” Carolyn Logan, Thomas P. Wolf, and Robert Sentamu examine the reasons for the plummeting levels of support for “the way democracy works in Kenya” between 2003 and 2005. Noting that there are many practical and analytical questions about what “satisfaction with democracy” really means, what it measures, and whether it matters, the authors analyze links between declines in satisfaction with democracy and indicators of system support, system function, and incumbent performance. The authors argue that measuring satisfaction shows “which of the many ‘promises’ of democracy Kenyans are most interested in seeing fulfilled,” which include having “the right institutions” as well as political, instrumental, and material outputs. The authors argue that “more than anything else, Kenyans hope that democracy will bring about a more equitable distribution of opportunity and resources in their society.”

In the April 2007 “Corruption and the Inequality Trap in Africa,” Eric Uslaner offers a concept he calls the “inequality trap”—that is, high inequality leads to low trust in out-groups and then to high levels of corruption and back to higher levels of inequality. Using Afrobarometer survey data, Uslaner tests his hypothesis that “people see corruption as stemming from inequality and leading to greater income disparities between the rich and the poor, between the powerful and powerless.” Survey respondents view the fairness of the legal system as the central factor shaping people’s views of how equally people are treated.

Peter Lewis’s March 2007 “Identity, Institutions, and Democracy in Nigeria”questions prevailing assumptions about the salience and impact of ethnicity on Nigerian politics. Using extensive Afrobarometer survey data, Lewis finds that identity is “fluid and contingent, with substantial variation among groups and over time.” Indeed, it is institutions that have a marked effect on the construction of identity and on political attitudes. Perhaps most importantly, “the character of elections provides a key catalyst for the intensity of ethnic identification, the strength of political ethnicity, and attitudes toward democracy.” Lewis argues that since the “ethnic” and “civic” divide in Nigeria does not consistently shape attitudes toward democracy or modes of political participation, democratic politics can play an important role in managing Nigeria’s plural society.

In Robert Mattes’s March 2007 “Public Opinion Research in Emerging Democracies: Are the Processes Different?” Mattes examines the unique “contextual factors in emerging democracies” in the developing world, which often entail a wide range of potential methodological dilemmas for comparative public opinion researchers, with especially important implications for approaches to fieldwork, sampling, and questionnaire design and that often differ from the Western standard. Rather than seeing these differences as blemishes that need to be amended, Mattes’s believes that “we may have much more to learn from the globalization of public opinion research than the simple accumulation of more data from exotic settings.”

The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD, Nigeria) released several reports on Nigeria’s April 2007 presidential and parliamentary elections. On April 3, 2007, CDD, the Centre for African Policy and Peace Strategy, The Centre for African Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, and the Royal African Society held the second in a series of three seminars on “Nigerian Elections 2007: Towards the Future or the Past?” The objective of the seminar series was to “assess Nigeria’s position in light of the presidential election in April and the impact of this on the recent reform process.” Participants provided a general overview of the economic and political changes which have taken place under President Obasanjo’s administration— including privatization of state assets and enterprises—but which have nonetheless failed to translate into economic development and prosperity, a reduction in the size of the military, and an increase in the number of civil servants. Human rights abuses have also continued under Obasanjo’s regime, prompting critics to label the current regime a “civilian dictatorship.”

Other speakers stressed that although women have been appointed to high profile positions, economic reforms have not benefited them. Women's ability to participate in the political process is hindered by high rates of illiteracy and fear of violence and intimidation at the polls.

At the final seminar, “Nigeria Elections 2007: A Step Back,” held on May 15, 2007, at the School of Oriental and African Studies, participants argued that no real election took place in Nigeria. Some of the problems discussed included corruption, a lack of candidates’ accountability for the issues and visions they campaigned on, and a lack of debate among candidates. The participants agreed that in Nigeria, “elections are not won, but are bought.” Write to Anu Pekkonen for full-text of these reports.

On January 25, 2007, the Ghana Center for Democratic Development held its third CDD-Ghana Annual Kronti ne Akwamu lecture on “Ghana and Democratic Development in Africa: Back to the Future,” by Richard Joseph, at the British Council Hall. Joseph praises the progress Ghana has made in “restoring civil liberties, establishing an Electoral Commission recognized internationally for its efficiency and probity, and conducting four successive national elections of increasing validity and credibility.” He also pointed out that Ghana was awarded the largest grant given through the United States’ Millennium Challenge Corporation in August 2006. Despite this progress, Joseph argues that Ghana’s leaders should implement a vision of democratic development that will foster an institution-building culture and social democracy. While Ghana has made great strides in increasing the vigor of its governmental institutions, protecting civil liberties, and facilitating a “vibrant universe of independent newspapers, radio stations, advocacy groups, and governance NGOs,” Ghana could still lead the way in overcoming deficits of weak institutionalization and become a model of rapid and robust democratic development. Joseph offers a number of recommendations to overcome these deficits, including creating a “Ghanaian Declaration of National Objectives that transcends political, religious, ethnic, and other identities that a majority of Ghanaians can pledge to uphold;” mobilizing the Ghanaian Diaspora; promoting educational reform; securing the rights of women; rescuing youths from violent and criminal gangs; improving healthcare; fostering an entrepreneurial revolution; advancing a cultural renaissance; nurturing the environment; and consolidating institutions of constitutional democracy.

The Institute for Democracy in South Africa (Idasa) sent the only international election observer mission to the oil-rich and conflict-torn Niger-Delta region. In his report, “Nigerian Elections 2007 Observation Report,” Stefan Gilbert argues that “it would not be possible to state clearly that the election, both on the 14 and the 21, were ‘free and fair,’” because of the extensive fraud and rigging that took place. Although Nigerians demonstrated a “commendable dedication to a process generally perceived as being corrupt,” the election is unlikely to do much to change the prevailing cynicism regarding the political elite. Gilbert argues that the new government awaits a crisis of legitimacy that may limit its ability to lead the country toward development and a more equitable distribution of resources.

Asia and the Pacific

In the January 2007 Journal of Democracy, Benjamin Reilly, director of the Centre for Democratic Institutions (CDI, Australia), published “Political Engineering in the Asia-Pacific,” in which he discusses how the 1997 financial crisis undermined the argument for a putative “Asian-style democracy” that prioritized economic development over political liberalization. Reilly argues that recent electoral and other reforms have set the stage for the emergence of a genuine “Asian model” of democracy.

On April 24, 2007, The Hon Akilisi Pohiva, leader of Tonga’s pro-democracy movement, delivered the 2007 CDI Annual Address on “Tonga’s Quest for Democracy.” Mr. Pohiva's speech detailed the history of attempts by the democracy movement to reform Tonga's system of government since the 1970’s. He also examined the ongoing attempts to silence critics of the government and the Tongan aristocracy, and the way the November riots have been used to justify further postponement of the political reform agenda, which remains in limbo with no agreed timetable for introduction of the National Committee's recommendations. He ended his talk with an eloquent plea for freedom for the people of Tonga, who unlike their neighbors elsewhere in the Pacific still cannot choose or change their government through free elections. A transcript and video of the speech is available here.

On May 7–18, 2007, CDI held its second annual Political Party Development Course, where participants discussed running effective campaigns; public opinion and polling; successful electoral strategies; media relations; policy development; membership recruitment; issue management; and political party funding. More information about the course, including a program report and list of participants are available here.

In the April 2007 Journal of Democracy, Pratap Bhanu Mehta, president of the Centre for Policy Research (CPR, India) published “The Rise of Judicial Sovereignty,” in which he examines India’s courts growing role in the country’s political life. Despite the fact that India’s Supreme Count has contributed to democracy and the rule of law, this progress is shadowed by “three profound ironies.” With a backlog of almost twenty million cases and thousands of prisoners awaiting trail, access to justice in India remains extremely difficult—and the average time it takes to get a judgment has been steadily increasing. Secondly, even as the Supreme Court has established itself as a forum for resolving public-policy problems, the principles informing its actions have become less clear. Finally, the Court has helped itself to so much power—“usurping executive functions, marginalizing the representative process—without explaining from whence its own authority is supposed to come.”

In March 2007, Civic Exchange (Hong Kong) published “Managing Public Records for Good Governance and Preservation of Collective Memory: The Case of Archival Legislation,” by Christine Loh, Marcos Van Rafelghem, and Jaimie C. Graham. The authors point out that Hong Kong is one of the few jurisdictions that has not enacted archival legislation, which has resulted in structural deficiencies in the management of public records. This affects both the preservation of documentary heritage and the efficiency, transparency, and accountability of government. The authors argue that “records generated by a government in the course of its activities need to be properly managed to support the operation and delivery of services; to protect individual, corporate and government rights; and to provide reliable information for research and study.” Furthermore, record-keeping facilitates public understanding and monitoring of government activities.

The authors offer a number of recommendations, including enacting legislation to impose recordkeeping obligations on all government agencies and public bodies; empower an archival authority that has legislative authority; ensure electronic records are properly managed; and enact a statutory right of access to public records.

The May–August issue of the Journal of East Asian Studies, edited at the East Asia Institute (EAI, South Korea) and published by Lynne Rienner Publishers, is a special issue on “Party Choice and Partisanship in East Asia,” edited by Doh Chull Shin, Yun-han Chu, and Russell J. Dalton. Featured articles include “Electoral Systems and Party Systems in East Asia” by Benjamin Reilly; “The Patterns of Party Polarization in East Asia” by Russell J. Dalton and Aiji Tanaka; “Social Structure and Party Support in the East Asian Democracies” by Ian McAllister; “Value Cleavages, Issues, and Partisanship in East Asia” by Aie-Rie Lee; “Partisanship in East Asia” by Emile C. J. Sheng; “Partisanship and Citizen Politics in East Asia” by Yun-han Chu and Min-hua Huang; and “Partisanship and Democratization” by Doh Chull Shin and Rollin F. Tusalem.

In May 2007, Borwornsak Uwanno, secretary general of the King Prajadhipok’s Institute (KPI, Thailand) wrote “The Dynamics of Thai Politics,” in which he argued that Thai politics has been “influenced by four major constituent parts or groups of Thai society and political arrangements”: the monarchy, the military and civilian bureaucracy, the urban middle class in urban areas who possess bargaining power, and the majority of people in rural areas who have no power. Uwanno argues that the power relations between these groups have always affected the socio-political dynamics in Thailand, including the rise and fall of its governments under the democratic system.

Europe

On May 28, 2007, the Access to Information Program (AIP, Bulgaria) presented its annual report on Access to Information in Bulgaria 2006 at a press conference held at the Bulgarian News Agency. Written by Alexander Kashumov, Darina Palova, Fany Davidova, Gergana Jouleva, Kiril Terziiski, and Nikolay Marekov and edited by Gergana Jouleva, the report contains detailed analyses of changes in Freedom of Information legislation and practices; characteristics of the cases for which AIP provided legal aid; results from the monitoring of information published by relevant government institutions on their Web sites; and an overview of the most interesting developments in the Freedom of Information court. The authors recommend that institutions make better use of electronic means to publicize their activities, as “the Internet is the cheapest and most effective way for public authorities to fulfill these obligations.”

The Centre for Liberal Strategies (CLS, Bulgaria) recently published The Anti-American Century, edited by Ivan Krastev and Alan McPherson and published by Central European University Press. The essays cover a “remarkable amount of ground, from South-East Asia to Central Europe, and offer many original insights into the origins and nature of contemporary anti-American sentiment.”

In April, CLS, Alpha Research, Bulgarian National Television, and the Open Society Institute, Sofia, organized a Deliberative Poll on “Policies Toward the Roma in Bulgaria,” in which respondents were polled about their views on three issues affecting the Roma: housing, crime, and education. A majority of participants expressed “far less support for separate Roma neighborhoods but increased support for measures that would help the Roma obtain adequate and legal housing.” However, 91 percent also believed that Roma would take better care of houses they built with their own resources. A majority of respondents also approved employing more Roma among the police and criminal justice system and objected to police checks applied just to the Roma. Finally, 66 percent of participants agreed that “Roma schools should be closed and all the children should be transported by buses to new schools.”

In June 2007, the European Stability Initiative (ESI, Germany) published “Sex and Power in Turkey: Feminism, Islam, and the Maturing of Turkish Democracy,” in which the authors trace the development of the women’s movement in Turkey. Since 2001, several reforms have been enacted to improve the lives of women, including an amendment to the Turkish Civil Code that granted women and men equal rights in marriage, divorce, and property ownership; a constitutional obligation to promote gender equality; and new programs to address domestic violence. Still, Turkey “has a long road ahead of it in narrowing its gender gap,” despite its recent achievements. The authors argue that improving gender equality will involve tackling deeply entrenched problems, such as improving access to education in rural regions and removing the institutional and social barriers to women’s participation in the workshop.

ESI also published the Spring 2007 Turkish Policy Quarterly, which is a special issue on “Women in Turkey: Still Facing Challenges but Making Progress.” Featured articles include “Women’s Human Rights: Turkey’s Way to Europe,” by Emine Bozkurt; “Women’s Rights in Turkey,” by Nimet Cubukcu; “Empowering Women in Turkey: A Priority in the Pre-Accession Process,” by Vladimir Spidla; “Imagining a New World,” by Nebahat Akkoc; “Turkish Women: A Century of Change,” by Katharina Knaus; and “From a Men’s Democracy Towards a Real Democracy,” by Selen Lermioglu Yilmaz. The full-text versions of these articles are available in English and Turkish.

The Institute of Public Affairs (ISP, Poland) released a research report on Learning from the Experience of West European Think Tanks: A Study in Think Tank Management, by Jacek Kucharczyk and Piotr Kazmierkiewicz, in which the authors examine new challenges faced by Central European think tanks since their countries joined the European Union and the ensuing withdrawal of their traditional (often American) funders. Continuing political instability in their countries has also made it difficult to rely on government funding. The authors found that the experiences of London- and Brussels-based think tanks were valuable examples of how to adapt to their new environments. Chapters include an overview of Western European think tanks, strategies for managing the institutional experts, and fundraising and publication dissemination strategies.

Lena Kolarska-Bobinska, director of ISP, recently published “Consolidation of Democracy in Central and Eastern Europe after Enlargement – The Polish Case in Comparison” in Totalitarismus und Demokratie, in which she examines the reasons for the increase of political tension in the new member states of the European Union. Kolarska-Bobinska argues that during Poland’s transition to democracy, the main political actors focused more on economic transformation than political change, which resulted in a higher level of legitimization of the market economy than of democracy. The end result is that only 52 percent of Poles in 2001 believed that democracy is the best form of government, whereas the average for other countries in the region was 65 percent. Kolarska-Bobinska believes this is a short-term problem, as “in the long term, the strengthening of the mechanisms of law and the institutions will enhance democracy in Central and Eastern Europe.”

The Romanian Academic Society (SAR) published the Spring/Summer 2007 Romanian Journal of Political Science. The theme of the issue is “Regions, Minorities, and European Integration,” and it examines ways in which the European accession process affects the dynamics of the relations between ethnic minorities and majorities, and between minority-inhabited regions and the nation states they are part of. Featured articles include “European Integration, Regional Change, and Ethnic Minority Mobilisation: An Introduction,” by Dia Anagnostou and Anna Triandafyllidou; “A Case Study on Muslim Minorities (Turks And Muslim Bulgarians) in Bulgaria,” by Galina Lozanova, Bozhidar Alexiev, Georgeta Nazarska, Evgenia Troeva-Grigorova, and Iva Kyurkchieva; “The Influence of EU Accession on Minorities’ Status in East Central Europe,” by Alina Mungiu-Pippidi; “A Case Study on the Italo-Slovene Border,” by Enrica Rigo and Federico Rahola; and “A Case Study on Hungarians in The Kosice Region, Slovakia” by Aneta Vilagi.

The Institute for Public Affairs (IVO, Slovakia) has released its flagship publication, Slovakia 2006: A Global Report on the State of Society, edited by Martin Butora, Miroslav Kollar, and Grigorij Meseznikov. Topics covered in this annual yearbook include domestic politics and the party system, elections in 2006, rule of law, human rights, ethnic minorities, Roma, public administration, public opinion, foreign policy, Slovakia’s foreign development aid, external security and defense, the environment, overall economic development, agriculture, health care, transparency and corruption, and equality of men and women. Ordering information is available here.

The Democratisation and Rule of Law Program of FRIDE (La Fundación para las Relaciones Internacionales y el Dialogo Exterior, Spain) recently published several new issues in its Working Papers series. The May 2007 “NATO’s Role in Democratic Reform” by Jos Boonstra argues that support for democracy has “increasingly infused NATO policies,” but also warns that the organization’s role in democracy promotion is often circumscribed by strategic considerations. Geoffrey Pridham’s May 2007 “Unfinished Business? Eastern Enlargement and Democratic Conditionality” addresses issues of possible post-EU accession non-compliance, with a particular focus on the EU’s application of political conditionality to Romania. Finally, Balázs Jarábik and Alastair Rabagliati’s March 2007 “Buffer Rus: New Challenges for EU Policy towards Belarus” argues that EU policy should uphold two democracy-promotion principles: dialogue with the Belarusian government should be conditional and the main focus should be on increasing direct communication and contact with the Belarusian people.

Latin America

In March 2007, the Center for Opening and Development in Latin America (CADAL, Argentina) published “Implementing Reform in Serbia: Lessons from Argentina,” by Boris Begovic. Begovic argues that Serbia’s reform efforts are mimicking the path of reform that led to Argentina’s financial crisis. As Serbia looks for reform models from other countries, it must realize that the key to growth and development lies in “generating the kind of economic competitiveness that allows the country to succeed in the global marketplace.” Most importantly, Begovic argues, Serbia “must realize that the blame for failure, as well as praise for success, should be directed towards domestic reformers.”

On April 25–May 5, 2007, Marcela Prieto Botero, executive director of the Instituto de Ciencia Politica (ICP, Colombia), participated in two conferences: “Migrations: A 21st Century Challenge” and “Authoritarian Governments: The Cases of Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.” Both events were hosted by international organizations, including the Atlas Economic Research Foundation and the Liberty and Democracy Foundation.

On June 12–13, 2007, ICP led a commission of civil society organizations to Washington to meet with members of the U.S. Congress, their staffers, and civil society organizations to discuss a Free Trade Agreement with Colombia. Write to Eduardo Jose Sanchez to learn more about these three events.

Middle East

The Independent Committee for Democracy Support (ICDS), a coalition of twelve NGOs led by the Ibn Khaldun Center for Development Studies (ICDS, Egypt) deployed more than 300 observers to monitor the March referendum on amendments to thirty four articles of the Egyptian Constitution, which were widely criticized as a way to strengthen the National Democratic Party. The ICDS released two statements on the referendum process, in which they noted several polling violations, including closure of polling stations, confiscation of citizens’ ID cards, lack of voter privacy, coercion of workers to both vote in the referendum and vote for the amendments, and lack of access by journalists to polling stations. Contact Dr. Samir Fadel for more information.

In June, ICDS led a group of fifteen NGOs to monitor the elections to the Shura Council (the Upper House of the Egyptian parliament). ICDS noted the following violations in the three statements they issued: exclusion of opposition supporters from polling stations in several governorates; lack of voter privacy; inconsistencies between the numbers on election cards and the records sent to polling stations from the Interior Ministry; prevention of observation work by security forces; arrest and detention of several observers; forgery; bribery; intervention by the security forces in most polling stations; lack of accuracy of voting lists; and early closures of polling stations. For full-text of these three statements, write to Ayat Abul-Futtouh.

The Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) released the 2007 Israeli Democracy Index: Cohesiveness in a Divided Society, which assesses the resilience of Israeli democracy. The 2007 Index findings testify to a significant decline in satisfaction with the functioning of Israeli democracy: 66 percent of respondents stated that they are not satisfied with the way in which Israeli democracy functions (a rise of 12 percent since last year); the respondents also agreed that Israeli politicians tend not to take the average citizen’s opinion into account (70 percent). Another interesting survey finding is that 59 percent of those interviewed stated that they favor a socialist-economic approach over capitalism.

Produced by IDI's Guttman Institute and written by Yael Hadar and Nir Atmor under the direction of Professor Asher Arian, the Index includes data from a public opinion survey based on a representative sample of 1,203 interviewees in three languages. A draft of the 2007 Index is currently available on IDI's website.

IDI also published The Battle of the 21st Century: Democracy Fighting Terror Discussion Forum, by Dan Meridor and Haim Fass, in which the authors argue that since September 11, 2001, “the most dangerous enemies of freedom and the democratic way of life are neither nation-states nor regular armies,” but terrorists. The document (in Hebrew) assesses legal strategies, methods, and means currently used by western democracies to fight terrorism, while also developing the means to protect the democratic way of life, as well as principles of human rights.

On March 23–24, 2007, the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) released Survey Poll 23, which revealed that “an overwhelming majority [of Palestinians] is satisfied with the make-up of the national unity government but the public is split into two equal halves with regard to its acceptance of the quartet conditions and almost three quarters are in favor of the Saudi initiative.” Respondents were polled of their opinions on the national unity government, the peace process, the domestic balance of power, and the Sunni-Shi’a strife in Iraq.

On May 14, 2007, the Center for Strategic Studies (Jordan) published “Iran’s Presence in Iraq: New Realities?” by Mahjoob Zweiri, in which the author discusses Iran’s grand strategies in Iraq: ensuring that Iraq does not become a threat to Iranian security in any way and sending a “clear message to the United States that it has failed to establish a pro-American regime in Baghdad.” Iran established relations with secular Shia opposition figures and with Kurdish leaders in northern Iraq to secure its strategic interests before the war started. Iranian religious figures were also encouraged to attend meetings in Washington and London to learn of American and Western plans in Iraq. Finally, Zweiri discusses the four levels of Iranian intervention in Iraq: relations with religious leaders; relations with government officials; relations with insurgents; and economic relations.

On May 1, 2007, CSS also published “The Summary on Iran,” edited by Mahjoob Zweiri, in which the authors focus “on domestic policy-related issues, which are generally overlooked, as a way of understanding Iran the state.” Topics covered include problems at Iranian universities, such as the imposition of restrictions on liberal and secular professors and the prevention of students from completing their studies for political reasons; the strict enforcement of the Islamic dress code; and tolerance towards ethnic and religious minorities.

In April, the Gulf Research Center (GRC, United Arab Emirates) translated and published Saudi Arabia: Power, Legitimacy, and Survival, by Tim Niblock. The book examines the main challenges facing the Saudi state, with special attention given to problems in the fields of foreign policy and the economy, as well as “the critical role of Saudi Arabia on issues of radical Islamism and its struggle with international terrorism and al-Qaeda.” The author argues that the current challenges can only be remedied through structural change and through active involvement of the population, “whose views need to be articulated through legitimized political organization.”

GRC also released the March 2007 issue of Suicide Bombing Operations, in which the authors discuss the “notable upsurge in the number of suicide attacks, as well as in the geographical spread of this tactic.”

The GRC’s April 2007 Gulf Monitor includes articles on discrimination and Islamophobia in Europe, militias, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the Gulf, a conceptual framework for political reform, and microfinance in the Gulf.

On April 27, 2007, the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID, United States) held its 8th annual conference on “The Rights of Women in Islam and Muslim Societies” in Washington, D.C. Session topics included discourses on women’s and human rights, the rights of women and minorities, Islamic feminisms, and women’s social and political empowerment. A final program, speaker profiles, and papers presented at the conference are available at CSID’s Web site.

Russia and the Former Soviet Union

On April 19, 2007 the Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy, and Development (CIPDD, Georgia) published its second Policy Brief on “The President’s New Initiative for South Ossetia: What Will It Bring About for Georgia in the Future?” by David Darchiashvili. The paper examines Georgia’s new initiative to solve the conflict in the former South Ossetian autonomous region. In 2006, the breakaway region held elections for a president, with whom the Georgian government would like to cooperate but only as a public-political leader with no real political status. In order to facilitate communication, the Georgian Parliament passed a law that created a provisional administrative territorial for the entire South Ossetia region. Write to Tina Tkeshelashvili for the full text of the document.

The Carnegie Moscow Center recently released Pathways of Russian Post-Communism, edited by Maria Lipman and Andrei Ryabov. The Russian-language book analyzes the various aspects of post-communist politics in modern Russia, with a special focus on changes in the political system that have occurred during the presidency of Vladimir Putin. The authors argue that “these changes are not accidental deviations from the process of democratization that characterized domestic political developments during the 1990s,” but rather the logical results of a process of disintegration of the previous Soviet social system. The system is not unique, however, and by its very nature and modes of functioning is very close to political systems of other post-Soviet states.

The Center also published its latest Working Paper on “What Will Happen in Turkmenistan?” by Alexey Malashenko. This Russian-language paper is a summary of a January 23 roundtable discussion on the future of Turkmenistan after the death of President Niyazov. The participants concluded that the country will continue its post-Niyazov evolution, though the level of internal liberalization and softening of the regime is in serious doubt and conflicts in the country may arise because of its clan system.

The Center also published the March–April 2007 Pro et Contra. The theme of this Russian-language journal is Russian-American Relations. Authors discuss how interaction between Russia and the United States is increasingly limited to statements of mutual discontent, leaving less room for understanding. Unlike during the Cold War, however, today’s confrontation seems surmountable, and a consolidated relationship between Moscow and Washington could do much to help solve pressing global dilemmas.

The International Centre for Policy Studies (ICPS, Ukraine) recently published Party Policies: The Impact of NGOs on the Formation and Implementation, a handbook that demonstrates changes to the proportional-representation system after the Verkhoyna Rada and local government elections and Ukraine’s transition to a parliamentary-presidential form of government. The guide presents the methodological basis for analyzing, monitoring, and evaluating the activity of local branches of political parties, as well as instruments for community organizations to strengthen their impact on the formation and implementation of party policies. It was designed for use by the heads of political parties and their local organizations, think-tanks, community organizations, and other stakeholders interested in raising the effectiveness of party platforms to resolve important social issues and making party policies more open and transparent.

The April 10 issue of ICPS Newsletter, “In Search of a Way Out: How to Find a Democratic Country in This Political Crisis,” argues that the current political crisis in Ukraine is a result of a lack of institutions capable of defending political competition and democratic freedoms. The crisis can only be resolved in a legitimate, constitutional manner, either through calling early elections or through negotiated compromise. A complete archive of the weekly ICPS Newsletter is available here.

United States and Canada

Rights & Democracy (International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development, Canada) published the May 2007 issue of its newsletter Libertas. The special theme of this issue is the “International Conference in Morocco” that was held on June 8–10, 2007, where participants discussed the theme of democracy as a universal value. Featured articles include “The Universality of Democracy” by Rights & Democracy President Jean-Louis Roy; “The Democratic and Social Revolution in Today’s Morocco” by Dr. Nacer Chraibi; “Preparing for the ‘Fourth Wave’ of Democratization: Some Lessons Learned” by Razmik Panossian; and “Citizen Participation and Human Rights: The Case Study of Latin America” by Nicholas Galletti.

The Applied Research Center at IFES (ARC, United States) conducted two surveys on Arab public opinion in May 2007. “Promoting Rule of Law and Integrity in the Middle East and North Africa: Experts Surveys Covering Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Morocco,” evaluated the state of the judiciary, media, and parliament in four target countries. Experts were polled on their views of the judiciary’s independence, integrity, competence, and efficiency; the media’s independence, integrity, and competence; and the parliament’s representation and participation, independence, performance, and integrity. Full results of the survey are available here. A parallel poll was conducted to gauge public opinion on the same issues. Complete results of that poll are available here.

The Center for Democracy and Civil Society (CDATS, United States) published the Spring 2007 Democracy and Society. Featured articles include “Democratization Studies and the Construction of a New Orthodoxy” by Nicolas Guilhot; “Democracy and Security in the Middle East” by Daniel Brumberg; “The Uncertain Future of Democracy Promotion,” by Steven Keydemann; “Democracy Promotion in Latin America” by Eric Hershberg; and “The Lebanese Entrapment” by Khalil Begara.

On March 23–24, 2007, the Center on Democratic Performance (United States) held a “Conference on the Dynamics of Party Position Taking” in Binghamton, New York. Participants sought to “integrate research on party position taking as an aspect of electoral competition with broader questions both about the conduct and outcomes of elections and about democratic governance.” A schedule and papers presented at the conference are available here.

On May 3, 2007, the Center for the Study of Democracy (United States) and the Model United Nations in association with the Center for Peacebuilding and the Department of Political Science hosted a lecture and discussion with former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who discussed his view on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with more than 3,500 people. Remarking on his recently released book, Palestine Peace Not Apartheid, which has sparked heated debate, Carter detailed his experiences with the peace process in the Middle East and his position on the conflict between Israel and Palestine, describing the “plight of the people of Palestine” as a direct result of “Israel’s continued control and colonization of Palestinian lands.” A transcript of the lecture is available online.

CSD Scholars Russell J. Dalton, Doh Chull Shin, and Willy Jou published “Popular Conceptions of the Meaning of Democracy: Democratic Understanding in Unlikely Places” on May 18, 2007, in which the authors address “the question of whether ordinary people express a reasonable understanding of the meaning of democracy,” and examine the contents of their definitions. Drawing upon a wide range of recent public-opinion surveys from Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America, the authors’ research yields three generalizations about popular conceptions of democracy: even in new democracies, most people can define democracy in their own words; most people think of democracy in terms of the freedoms, liberties, and rights that it conveys, rather than the procedural conceptions of liberal democracy; and equating democracy with social benefits emerges as a minor theme, even in the poorest of nations. The authors argue that “democratic aspirations are shaped by perceptions of the liberties and freedom that democracy can produce, and that are seen as lacking in other political systems.”

On May 17, 2007, Michael McFaul, director of the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law (CDDRL, United States), testified before the House Foreign Relations Committee on “Russia: Rebuilding the Iron Curtain.” While emphasizing that in the long run, he is certain that Russia will transition to democracy and integrate into the West, McFaul expressed concern that President Vladimir Putin is “building a more autocratic regime, an internal process that in turn has strained Russia’s relations with the West.” He also pushed for a new U.S. policy towards Russia that would pursue a more ambitious bilateral relationship and a more long-term strategy for strengthening Russian civil, political, and economic societies, “which ultimately will be critical forces that push Russia back onto a democratizing path.”

CDDRL and Stanford University’s Center for African Studies also co-sponsored a special event on May 22, 2007, on “The 2007 Nigerian Elections: Implications for the Future of Democracy,” featuring University of Ibadan Professor Rotimi Suberu. An audio recording of the event is available here.

On May 31, 2007, CDDRL held a symposium on “New Efforts to Promote Democracy.” Participants met to “delineate and assess what new and small democracy promotion organizations are doing—and what they can do effectively—to support and advance democratic development around the world.” Participants also sought to promote interaction between academic studies of democratic development and the practical efforts to assist it. Panel topics included established efforts to promote democracy; new efforts to promote democracy in Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe; starting new democracy foundations; and a discuss of what kind of assistance new and struggling democracies need. A meeting agenda is available here.

On April 18, 2007, the International Forum for Democratic Studies (United States) and the U.S. Committee for Human Rights in North Korea co-sponsored a breakfast event on "North of the DMZ: A Human Rights Perspective," featuring Dr. Andrei Lankov of Kookmin University and Tom Malinowski of Human Rights Watch. National Endowment for Democracy President Carl Gershman moderated the event. Dr. Andrei Lankov, associate professor at Kookmin University and author of numerous books on North Korea, discussed the latest developments inside North Korea and offered his recommendations on how to improve the human rights situation in the country. Tom Malinowski, Washington advocacy director for Human Rights Watch, served as a discussant and provided his perspective on what role the international community can play in improving the lives of the North Korean people. Video of the event is available here.

The International Forum’s fellowship program also recently held three events. On May 24, 2007, Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Mr. Jose Luis ("Chito") Gascon led a discussion on “The Congressional Elections in the Philippines: An Initial Assessment,” in which he discussed the Philippines’s continuing dilemmas of democratic consolidation. He discussed the context, issues, and results of the May 14, 2007 midterm elections and analyzed their implications for democracy in the Philippines. His presentation was followed by commented by Mr. Telibert Laoc, the resident director of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs' office in East Timor. Mr. Gason’s PowerPoint presentation is available here.

On June 6, 2007, Reagan-Fascell Fellow Nigina Bakhrieva led a luncheon discussion on “NGOs and War: The Case of Tajikistan,” in which she offered perspectives on the evolution of Tajikistan’s civil society since statehood. Her presentation was followed by comments from NED Senior Program Officer Miriam Lanskoy, who discussed Tajikistan’s NGOs in a regional context. Ms. Bakhrieva’s PowerPoint presentation and a video of the event are available here.

Finally, on June 7, 2007, Reagan-Fascell Fellow Diego Abente-Brun led a lecture on “Between a Rock and a Hard Place: Dilemmas of Democracy in Paraguay,” in which he examined the sources of the low quality of democracy in Paraguay, including the socio-economic structure, the role of political parties, and social capital. He also explored the consequences of democratic disillusionment for the upcoming April 2008 elections and concluded with reflections on their implications for the cases of Ecuador and Bolivia. His presentation was followed by comments by George Washington University Professor Cynthia McClintock. Dr. Abente-Brun’s PowerPoint presentation is available here.

The April 2007 Journal of Democracy, produced at the Forum, featured clusters of articles on India and Russia, as well as individual articles on Afghanistan, Venezuela, Montenegro, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The July 2007 issue features an exchange of articles based on Thomas Carothers’ January 2007 article, “The ‘Sequencing’ Fallacy,” as well as individual articles on Uganda, China, and communism’s legacies in East-Central Europe. Contents, ordering information, and selected full-text articles are available here.