World Movement for Democracy - Network of Democracy Research Institutes

Network of Democracy Research Institutes

About

Member Institutes

Democracy Research News

-Democracy Research News-

October 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
Democracy Research News is distributed exclusively by e-mail. Subscriptions are available free of charge by writing to ndri@ned.org. We encourage readers to forward this newsletter to colleagues who may wish to subscribe. If you do not wish to receive Democracy Research News, send the message "unsubscribe" to ndri@ned.org and we will remove your name promptly.

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

FUNDAR (Mexico) Names New Director and Deputy Director:
Flavio Lazos Garza was recently named executive director of FUNDAR. A specialist in public finance, he previously served as the director of public finance at Locallis, an organization based in Querétaro that promotes citizen participation and local development. He has taught at the Un-iversidad Autónoma Metropolitana, the Universidad Iberoamericana, and the Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro. He has collaborated with municipalities and municipal associations in bettering public property and has consulted on municipal strengthening efforts for the Inter-American Development Bank and the United Nations Development Programme.

Deputy Director Miguel Pulido specialized in Human Rights and Processes of Democratization at the Law School of the Universidad de Chile. He received his license in law from the Tecnológico de Monterrey and culminated his studies with his postgraduate work at the law department of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico. He currently serves as professor of In-formational Law at the Universidad Iberoamericana. During the course of the past five years, he has specialized in the study of information access systems, open books, and analysis of public politics – among them being the politics of subsidies – with a perspective on human rights.

IFES Welcomes New Director:
Bill Sweeney was named the new CEO and President of IFES (U.S.) in June 2009. Bringing with him decades of experience in election-assistance and democracy support, Mr. Sweeney served on the board of directors at IFES from 1993 to 2001 and was chairman from 1999 to 2000. He previously served as deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee and executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee from 1977 to 1981. He also founded the Washington Resources and Strategy, a public affairs management company that provided counsel to associations and corporations in the U.S., Asia, and Europe. He has been an official election observer in the Philippines, Russia, Jamaica, and Nicaragua. More information about Mr. Sweeney can be found here, and a recent interview with him is available here.

IFES has also recently relocated. Its new Washington, D.C. headquarters are located at 1850 K Street, NW, 5th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20006.

Call for Paper Proposals:
The Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID, U.S.) has issued a call for papers on “U.S. Engagement with the Muslim World: One Year after Cairo” for its 11th Annual Conference, which will take place on April 28, 2010. Paper proposals are invited on the following four board topics: “The Cairo Speech Agenda: Fulfilled or Deferred?” “Democracy Development in the Muslim World: New Approaches or No Longer a Priority?” “The Role of American Muslims in U.S.-Islamic World Relations,” and “The U.S. and Conflict in the Muslim World.” Proposals of no more than 400 words are due by December 10, 2009 and should be sent to Peter Mandaville at conference2010@islam-democracy.org.

NDRI Think Tank Managers Workshop:
The International Forum for Democratic Studies hosted the fifth NDRI Washington Workshop for Think Tank Managers from September 14–18, 2009, in Washington, D.C. The purpose of the workshop was to strengthen NDRI members as institutions and to improve the administrative skills of key staff members. Twelve participants, selected through a competitive application process, spent a full week visiting many of the most important policy-research centers in Washington, including the Brookings Institution, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Heritage Foundation, the American Enterprise Institute, and others. They met with top administrators responsible for communications and outreach, website development, electronic publishing, and networking. Participants in this year’s workshop included May Al-Taher (Al-Urdun Al-Jadid Research Center, Jordan), Virginia Arhex (Center for the Opening and Development of Latin America, Argentina), Orazio J. Bellettini (Grupo Faro, Ecuador), Ines Castro (Center for the Implementation of Public Policies Promoting Equity and Growth, Argentina), Rita Chammas (Lebanese Center for Policy Studies), Theodore Dzeble (Ghana Center for Democracy and Development), Valeska Hesse (FUNDAR, Mexico), Angelo Izama (Fanaka Kwa Wote, Uganda), Avtandil Jokhadze (Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development, Georgia), Engjellushe Morina (Kosovar Stability Initiative), Kaushiki Sanyal (Centre for Policy Research, India), and Stella Tshona (Centre for Policy Studies, South Africa).

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 section of this newsletter):

• the Center for the Study of Democracy at Leuphana University Lüneburg (ZDEMO), a center that conducts research on democratic structures and procedures in politics and society, economics, and the environment.

2. New Publications and Recent Events by NDRI Members

Africa

Since the last issue of Democracy Research News, Afrobarometer added four Working Papers to its website. The September 2009 paper on “National versus Ethnic Identity in Africa: State, Group, and Individual Level Correlates of National Identification,” by Amanda Lea Robinson, examines “the relative importance of national and ethnic identities in sixteen sub-Saharan African countries” and how these identities affect nation-building on a personal level. Using case studies, Robinson explores why nationalism is not pervasive in Africa and the effects of colonialism on national identification. John F. McCauley and E. Gyimah-Boadi also published “Religious Faith and Democracy: Evidence from the Afrobarometer Surveys” in September. Using Afrobarometer’s fourth round of survey data, the authors explore the strong relationship between religious faith and democratic participation and find that religious citizens are more likely to support a democratic government and that secularization is beginning to spread in Africa.

“Weak States and Political Violence in sub-Saharan Africa,” (August 2009) by Matthew Kirwin and Wonbin Cho, explores whether political violence is dependent on the citizenry’s perception of the state being weak. Wonbin Cho and Carolyn Logan conclude that alternations in power are essential in democracies in order for most sectors of the populace to feel that they have a role in the political system in the August 2009 “Looking Toward the Future: Alternations in Power and Popular Perspectives on Democratic Durability in Africa.”

On September 17–18, 2009, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD, Nigeria) co-hosted a workshop with the Open Society Initiative for West Africa on “Popularization, Ratification and Implementation of the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance and the African Union Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.” The participants discussed methods of fully ratifying the ECOWAS Protocol and promoting the African Union Charter. They drafted the Accra Declaration on Democratic Governance, in which they highlight African leaders’ low priorities in maintaining democratic ideals.

In September 2009, the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS, South Africa) released two new research reports. Ebrahim Fakir’s “The Impact of Democracy in Botswana: Assessing Political, Social and Economic Developments Since the Dawn of Democracy” examines how and if democracy has transformed everyday life in Botswana over the past 15 years and asserts that “the relationship between development and democracy in the country is mutually reinforcing.” Maxine Reitzes’s “The Impact of Democracy on Development: The Case of South Africa” details South Africa’s road to recovery since 1994 and finds that democracy has failed to address some of the major socio-economic problems facing the country, namely HIV/AIDS, crime, and chronic unemployment.

The August 2009 Synopsis is a special issue devoted to xenophobia in South Africa and includes articles on “Xenophobic Violence in South Africa: Reflections on Casual Factors and Implications,” by Jean Pierre Misago; “Xenophobic Triggers Situated in the History and Legal Provisions of Domestic and International Trade Policies in South Africa,” by Maxine Reitzes; “Between Home’s Rock and South Africa’s Hard Place: Non-nationals’ Experiences, Livelihood Strategies, and Choice to Remain in Post-2008 South Africa,” by Baruti B. Amisi; and “The Impact of Xenophobia on Torture Survivors from Zimbabwe: SACST’s Analysis of the 2008 Attacks,” by Annah Moyo.

In July 2009, the Democracy in Africa Research Unit (DARU, South Africa) published “The Limited Impacts of Formal Education on Democratic Citizenship in Africa,” a Working Paper by Robert Mattes and Dangalira Mughogho. The authors examine the relationship between higher education levels and the degree to which Africans criticize and participate in the democracies in which they live. They attempt to discredit the idea that democratic participation relies solely on cultural phenomena and suggest that participation would increase with a stronger education system in place.

On August 19, 2009, the Institute for Democracy in South Africa (Idasa) was invited by the South African High Commission to speak at a Women's Day Seminar in Arusha, Tanzania. The event coincided with Tanzania's Farmers Day, Nane Nane, a national holiday dedicated to farming and agricultural development. Speakers at the event encouraged citizens to engage in dialogue with the government. Idasa’s presentation was entitled “Democracy, Dialogue and Development: How Citizen Engagement Can Lead to Sustainable Livelihoods.”

The September 2009 Democracy in Action, Idasa’s monthly newsletter, includes articles on “Africa Needs Transparency,” in which Richard Calland demands that Africans begin to push for more open and transparent governments, and “Power Dynamics in Zimbabwe’s Inclusive Government," in which Derek Matyszak outlines how Mugabe’s power has remained essentially unchanged since the Global Political Agreement, designed to force Mugabe to share his previously unchecked power, was signed a year ago.

The August 2009 Democracy in Action focuses on creating stable and fair political governance in South Africa and the region, as well as keeping corrupt leaders from maintaining their seats in government. It also includes updates on the situation in Zimbabwe and showcases projects in which Idasa is involved, such as the Right to Know, Right to Education program in Kenya, and HIV media coverage in Tanzania.

Asia and the Pacific

The Centre for Democratic Institutions (CDI, Australia) convened a conference on “Varieties of Unicameralism” on July 31, 2009. It was held to mark the 20th anniversary of the Legislative Assembly of the Australian Capital Territory and was co-sponsored by the Parliamentary Studies Centre at the ANU and the ACT Legislative Assembly, with funding from the Australian Research Council. The discussion included positive lessons learned from the experiences of a wide range of unicameral legislatures including New Zealand and Scotland. A video of the conference and a summary of events can be found here.

CDI’s Director, Ben Reilly, spoke at a special session on “Party Democracy and Party Law” at the World Congress of Political Science in Santiago, Chile in July 2009. The session built upon CDI’s previous work on this subject, focusing primarily on laws that affects political parties and whether regulation is relevant to a successfully functioning of democracy. Speakers on the panel presented comparative papers that contributed to the development of the theory of party regulation.

Finally, the August/September 2009 CDI News announces the initiation of a new training course for political officials and parliamentarians throughout Oceania. The course is designed to aid officials in improving the quality of parliamentary functions. The latest work that CDI has undertaken in helping to strengthen the constitution and political parties laws in the Solomon Islands is also depicted. The newsletter includes links to two articles that will be of interest to democracy scholars. The first, “Governance Strategies to Remedy the Natural Resource Curse,” by Joseph Siegle, offers policy recommendations for states that are blessed with abundant resources. Secondly, “Australia: The State of Democracy,” by Marian Sawer, Norman Abjorensen, and Phil Larkin audits the current state of the Australian democracy and searches to find whether it is waning in its duties. The full newsletter can be found here.

Pratap Beanu Mehta, president of the Centre for Policy Research (CPR, India) published “Still Under Nehru's Shadow? The Absence of Foreign Policy Frameworks in India” in the July–September 2009 India Review, in which he explains that India lacks a cohesive foreign policy outlook due to many factors such as its diverse national identity and the historical legacy of its quest to consolidate power throughout the vast state. India has focused on intense economic growth but has done little to assert itself in the global arena, and the author sees it unlikely that India will engage in the power games the United States and China are poised to launch.

The Accountability Initiative, one of CPR’s programs, published three papers in October 2009. Poulomi Chakrabarti’s piece on “What Is Driving the Indian Middle Class Towards Electoral Politics? Evidence from Delhi” explains the increasingly powerful role that neighborhood associations are beginning to play among the growing Indian middle class. Noting that these associations frequently encourage their members to take up political campaigns in order to enter into and directly affect the political processes on a more local level, the author attempts to discover the driving force behind these growing associations. “AI Policy Brief: Fostering Participation and Accountability in Local Governance - Current Experience, Future Challenges,” by Yamini Aiyar, examines the recent 73rd and 74th amendments to the Indian constitution that push for greater decentralization and public participation. Aiyar claims that the amendments have not yet been effectively implemented and that the government must institute mechanisms for participation in order for people to begin holding the government accountable for its actions. Finally, “Institutionalizing Social Accountability: Considerations for Policy,” by Yamini Aiyar, Bala Posani, Abhijit Patnaik, and Mandakini Devasher, outlines an effective method of implementing social accountability. The authors argue that mechanisms must be institutionalized in order for the system to be accountable to itself and that the state must act willingly in the process by being transparent and by creating vehicles to allow citizens to navigate the system and become active participants.

Civic Exchange (Hong Kong) published a June 2009 paper on “From Financer to Enabler: Changing Government’s Role in NGOs as the Way Ahead for Social Welfare in Hong Kong” by Kester Tay. Arguing that civil society is not effective at pressuring the government to provide better social welfare to all sectors of society, the author urges the government to take a more active role in supporting NGOs by doing more than merely financing them. He suggests that the government provide training and work more closely with NGOs to ensure that social welfare is more equally distributed.

Civic Exchange also published Jah-ying Chung’s “Struggles in the Shadow: Welfare Challenges for Asylum Seekers in Hong Kong” in September 2009, a paper that focuses on the needs of a growing number of refugees and asylum seekers who continue to pour into Hong Kong, a place where they envision freedom and the possibility for a better life in a region of the world where democratic ideals are not always supported. The author demands that the government be more transparent with the reality of the situation of refugees in the city, strengthen its commitment to human rights, and accelerate the process for receiving asylum in order for these people to integrate themselves into the society at large.

The Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) recently convened two events. The first, a skill building workshop on “Conflict Management and Negotiation Strategies for Members of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab, AJK, and Northern Areas’ Legislative Assemblies,” held on August 13, 2009, served as an addition to PILDAT’s initiative to educate government officials in preventative conflict resolution. The second event was a September 2009 roundtable discussion on “Legislative Forum on Accountability: The Holders of Public Offices (Accountability) Bill 2009.” Participants detailed flawed aspects of the bill, which is currently at the committee stage in the National Assembly, and demanded its careful, yet urgent, review. Details and full brief of the forum are available here.

On August 26, 2009, PILDAT issued a “Legislative Brief on The Holders of Public Offices (Accountability) Bill 2009” that lays out the organization’s official position on the ineffectiveness that the bill will have if passed in its current form. PILDAT demands that the government add robust anti-corruption provisions, implement the immediate ability to freeze assets, remove secrecy laws over the banking sector that prohibit transparency, and expand the penalties for committed offenses. Additionally, PILDAT has determined and documented the five greatest threats and enabling factors for a functioning Pakistani democracy on the International Democracy Day on September 15, 2009. As detrimental factors, PILDAT has identified the lack of good governance, a historically weak understanding of the significance of the democratic process by the military, the lack of democratic ideals within political parties, an ineffective parliamentary system, and the role of financial influences on the system. The full statement can be obtained here.

The East Asia Institute (EAI, South Korea) published two new papers in September 2009. “Regional Financial Solidarity without the United States: Contested Neoliberalism in East Asia,” by Yong Wook Lee, examines the relatively new financial system that has been established in East Asia and speculates about the effects that regionalism and lack of dependency on the external financial institutions will have on the economies of countries like the United States. “Party Politics of Corporate Restructuring: The Institutional Evolution of South Korean Political Economy,” by Jung Kim, attempts to show how vital party politics are in the restructuring of the corporate system in South Korea by conceptualizing political parties as linking mechanisms between the political and economic systems of the country. Kim states that if parties do not succeed in maneuvering between the interests of the government and the corporate sector, the stability of the state could be jeopardized.

In October 2009, EAI published a paper on “Politics that Constrains: The Logic of Fragmented Regionalism in East Asia,” by Saori N. Katada, that also examines the strengthening of regionalism in East Asia. He exemplifies this bond among Asian countries with the addition of Japan, South Korea, and China to ASEAN – creating ASEAN plus Three. Dividing his paper into four parts, Katada summarizes the determinants that influence regionalism; argues that domestic politics are crucial to shaping regionalism; details the increased trade within Asian countries; and investigates just to what degree the three new additions to ASEAN affect to regionalist climate.

Finally, the September–December 2009 Journal of East Asian Studies, edited at EAI and published by Lynne Rienner Publishers, features articles on “Diversionary Dragons, or ‘Talking Tough in Taipei’: Cross-Strait Relations in the New Millennium” by Yitan Li, Patrick James, and A. Cooper Drury; “Policy Learning or Diffusion: How China Opened to Foreign Direct Investment” by Min Ye; “Contentious Histories and the Perception of Threat: China, the United States, and the Korean War—An Experimental Analysis” by Peter Hays Gries, Jennifer L. Prewitt-Freilino, Luz-Eugenia Cox-Fuenzalida, and Qingmin Zhang; “ Infrastructure as the Magnet of Power: Explaining Why Japanese Legislators Left and Returned to the LDP” by Jun Saito. A full listing of articles and summaries can be found here.

The Sejong Institute (South Korea) recently released three new issues of its Current Issues and Policy newsletter. The August 2009 issue includes articles on “Korea's Participation in G8 Summit and Its Policy Implications” by Chi Wook Kim; “Background and Lessons of the July 7 Cyber-Terrorism” by Sang Ho Lee; and “Evaluation of Revised Defense Reform 2020 Plan” by Sang Hyun Lee. The September 2009 edition features articles on the “Present Situation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1874 and South Korea's Dilemma” by Soon Bo Moon; “North Korea's Critical Choice in August 2009” by Haksoon Paik; and “Sino-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue and North Korea” by Tai Hwan Lee. Finally, the October 2009 issue features articles on “Hatoyama Cabinet and Prospects of Japan's Asia Policy” by Myon Woo Lee; “Japan's Hatoyama Government and the US-Japan Alliance” by Soung Chul Kim; and “Pittsburgh G20 Summit and Korea's Global Economic Diplomacy,” by Chi Wook Kim.

The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA, Sri Lanka) published Power-Sharing in Sri Lanka: Constitutional and Political Documents 1926–2008 in October 2009. Edited by Rohan Edrisinha, V.T. Thamilmaran, Mario Gomez, and Asanga Welikala, the book is “a compendium of important constitutional proposals and political ideas that have featured in debates about power-sharing and the constitutional form of the Sri Lankan State since before independence to the present” and that have been selected, introduced, and critically reviewed by the editors.

CPA also conducted an opinion poll on “Views from Jaffna: Pre-Election Public Opinion Poll, July 2009” to assess the views of people living in the Jaffna municipal area in relation to the upcoming Municipal Council elections. The poll was conducted by the Social Indicator (SI), the survey research unit of the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), in collaboration with Home for Human Rights (HHR). The results of the poll can be found in PDF format here.

The Asian Barometer added three new Working Papers to its website. Chong-Min Park’s “Political Discontent in South Korea” explores the high levels of dissatisfaction that permeate the South Korean political landscape. Although being one of the most exemplary democracies established in recent years, many of the state’s citizens are not satisfied with the democratic system—they either see another system as more relevant in the Korean context or they are unhappy that the democratic regime has not yet reached perfection. “A Typological Analysis of Democratic Legitimacy,” by Yun-han Chu and Min-hua Huang, argues that regardless of the findings of surveys and opinions of civil society and external organizations on the legitimacy of democracy in any given country, that state will not enjoy the stability that democracy can offer unless the majority of the populace views the government as legitimate. “Are Democracy and ‘Good Governance’ Always Compatible? Competing Values in the Thai Political Arena,” by Robert B. Albritton and Thawilwadee Bureekul, examines the common misconception that democracies are always led by good governments and presents significant quantitative data to prove that this is in fact not the case. Too often scholars only look into universal suffrage, political participation, and fair elections as the signs for a stable democracy and overlook if the government is being run in a way that benefits the citizenry.

The King Prajadhipok’s Institute (KPI, Thailand) published a report on “Civic Participation on Thai Legislative Reform” that examines the new constitution passed in Thailand in 2006 and its possible effects on or facilitation of public participation. The author believes that the lack of feasible civic participation was one of the factors that led to the destabilization of the government and foresees a difficult road ahead in effectively implementing participation although it is guaranteed in the new constitution. KPI recommends that civil society take on the task of educating the populace to become a strong force in maintaining accountability within the government.

Europe

The Access to Information Program (AIP, Bulgaria) produced a thirty-minute documentary entitled Right to Know Day. The film was produced by a team from ProMedia - Broadcasting Training Center Foundation within the framework of the project on Local Media and Freedom of Information in Bulgaria, which promotes a European Union level of transparency and accountability within the Bulgarian government and is implemented by AIP and the Management and Media Academy/Free Voice. Financial support was granted by the MATRA Programme of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The movie is in Bulgarian but is accessible with subtitles in English as well.

The Centre for Liberal Strategies (CLS, Bulgaria) published the August/September 2009 Foreign Policy Bulgaria. Some of the articles featured in this Bulgarian-language publication are: Tony Nikolov’s “1985: Year 0, or Bulgaria in “1984 ½”: Which Year Unlocks the Key to the Countdown Towards the Sunset of Communism in Bulgaria in 1989?;” Boriana Dimitrova’s “‘Macho’ Political Culture Bulgarian Style: What Does the Analysis of Women's Political Participation after the Last Parliamentary Elections Show?;” Marchela Abrasheva’s “Distinguishing Characteristics of the Balkan Macho;” and Edward Lucas’ “The Fall and Rise and Fall Again of the Baltic States: A Recessionary Tale from Europe's New Basket Cases.”

In July 2009, the Institute for Regional and International Studies (IRIS, Bulgaria) published “The Ethno-political Frankenstein and the Crisis of the State,” by Ognyan Minchev, which focuses on “the role of Ahmed Dogan, leader of the Turkish minority Movement for Rights and Freedoms in Bulgaria” and stresses the pervasive and damaging grasp that the Movement has on the Turkish population in Bulgaria.

The Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS) 'Viitorul' (Moldova) has released its Economic Statewatch for the third quarter of 2009, which outlines the economic development of the Republic of Moldova. The authors find that the current economic situation makes the country ripe for political change, which would tear down the regime of President Voronin and his “marionette government.” The studies find that agriculture has grown in Moldova over the past quarter, in line with its neighboring states, but also finds that Moldova has become the poorest country in the region and would “need to grow by circa 10% annually for the next 6 years” to reach the level of the next poorest country.

The Institute for Public Affairs (IVO, Slovakia) published its annual flagship publication, Slovakia 2008: Trends in Quality of Democracy, edited by Martin Bútora, Miroslav Kollár, Grigorij Mesežnikov. The volume features articles that outline the development of the quality of democracy in Slovakia during the past year. It focuses on five aspects that determine democratic growth: democratic institutions and the rule of law; legislation; protection and implementation of human and minority rights; performance of independent and public service media; and Euro-integration and transatlantic dimensions of foreign policy. Articles include “Democratic Institutions and Rule of Law: Stability versus Performance,” by Grigorij Mesežnikov, Sona Szomolányi, Peter Ucen and “Contemporary Slovakia in Public Opinion: Social Climate, Political Landscape, Ethnic Relations,” by Zora Bútorová and Olga Gyárfášová.

The Quality of Government Institute (QoG, Sweden) added several Working Papers to its website since the last issue of Democracy Research News, including “Rent Dependency: Bad for Quality of Government” (September 2009) by Mette Anthonsen, Åsa Löfgren, and Klas Nilsson; “Bureaucracy, Politics, and Corruption” (August 2009) by Carl Dahlström, Victor Lapuente, and Jan Teorell; and “Why Feed the Hand that Bites You? Quality of Government and System Support in the Post-Communist EU Members States” (August 2009) by Jonas Linde. Full text of these and previous Working Papers are available here.

In October 2009, the European Stability Initiative (ESI, Turkey) and Populari published “Bosnian Visa Breakthrough May 2009 – September 2009,” a detailed scorecard of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s results in meeting the EU Schengen White List conditions, which would allow Bosnians to travel visa-free throughout the EU. Although the European Commission decided in July 2009 against granting visa-free travel to Bosnia, ESI believes that Bosnia has made great process over the past months in clearing the path for the future acquisition of less stringent travel laws. The scorecard contains many useful graphs clearly delineating the improved performance Bosnia has attained in meeting the criteria set forth by the E.U. since May 2009.

ESI also released its September 2009 newsletter that contains brief pieces explaining the strict but fair processes of the European Parliament in expanding visa privileges to the Western Balkans, Albania’s failure to meet the standards set forth and the steps it is taking to achieve free movement, and how the perception of the people of the Balkans as war-loving is beginning to change.

The Centre for the Study of Public Policy (CSPP, United Kingdom) has recently released the results of its most recent Russia Barometer. “Russians in Economic Crisis: New Russia Barometer XVIII,” conducted in June 2009 when “the full impact of the world economic crisis had hit Russia,” surveys respondents about the crisis and how it has affected Russian public opinion. The survey finds that while “support for the political regime has fallen, it was previously so high that three-quarters of Russians continue to endorse their system of government.”

CSPP also recently published three articles. “Elections before Democracy in Europe,” by Richard Rose, “sets out a paradigm for the analysis of elections in early stages of development when many things such as the secret ballot cannot be taken for granted.” Ersin Kalaycioglu’s “Hicab, Turban, and Democracy: Religious Freedom Versus Political Protest,” examines the role that the turban, which is worn by many women in Turkey, plays in the Turkish political system. The article attempts to determine whether Turkish citizens see the turban as an issue of political freedom or a symbol of Islam. Finally, “Is Populism the ‘Bad Wolf’? Post-Accession Crisis of Representative Democracy in Bulgaria and Romania,” by Svetlozar Andreev, argues that populism in Eastern Europe is not necessarily a negative force on democratic development. Andreev points to examples where populist leaders have successfully achieved vital reforms and maintained disciplined governing methods. However, he sees that there are often incongruent viewpoints between populist leaders and many citizens’ desire to fully integrate into the E.U.

Latin America

The Center for the Implementation of Public Policies Promoting Equity and Growth (CIPPEC, Argentina) published an October 2009 article by Fabián Repetto, Gala Díaz Langou, and Vanesa Marazzi on “¿Hacia un Sistema de Protección Social Integral? El Ingreso para la Niñez Es Sólo la Punta del Ovillo.” (“Toward an Integral System of Social Protection? Childhood Income Is Only the Tip of the Iceberg”). The article addresses the fundamental issue of how Argentina will tackle the historically entrenched problem of income inequality and low wages for workers. The authors state that the government has the moral responsibility to pay back its debt to the citizens by implementing mechanisms to protect all sectors of the society.

The Center for Opening and Development in Latin America (CADAL, Argentina) published several articles since the last issue of Democracy Research News. “A 15 Años del ‘Maleconazo’: Descontento Social y Falta de Apertura en Cuba,” (“15 Years after ‘Maleconazo’: Social Discontent and Cuba’s Lack of Opening”), by Gabriel C. Salvia and Hernán Alberro, brings together testimonies remembering the Maleconazo, the largest protest against communism in Cuba, and analyzes the current political, economic, and social situation in Cuba. “Chile, Uruguay y Brasil: Estamos Rodeados...de Moderados,” ("Chile, Uruguay, and Brazil: We Are Surrounded...by Moderates"), written by Pablo Diaz de Brito and published in September 2009, details the more extreme form of government that has been adopted in Argentina under the Kirchners while the country is nearly completely surrounded by very moderate governments that call on the support of many aspects of the society and political sphere and are able to affect changes more effectively and efficiently than Argentina. In September 2009, CADAL also published “América Latina y la Unión Europea ante Cuba: Dos Actitudes Distintas ante el Totalitarismo,” (“Latin America and the European Union Facing Cuba: Two Distinct Attitudes Toward totalitarianism”), by Pablo Brum and Mariana Dambolena, in which the authors examine the viewpoints that both Latin America and the EU have concerning the Cuban regime. Although Latin American countries proclaim themselves defenders of human rights and democracy, they are much less critical than their European counterparts of the abuses committed by Cuba.

In “Indicadores de Periodismo y Democracia en América Latina” ("Indicators of Journalism and Democracy in Latin America"), Fernando Javier Ruiz reveals the worst places for journalists to work in the first semester of 2009. Mr. Ruiz notes that media reforms are often being targeted only to benefit those who are favorable to the government and have been shrinking the playing field of political enemies. The report finds that journalism encounters its greatest threat across pockets of the Andean region and Mexico but is in danger across almost the whole of Latin America.

Finally, CADAL’s Patricio Navia has written a preliminary guide to the upcoming Chilean elections called “Las Cinco Claves de la Presidencial Chilena del 2009.” (“The Five Keys to the 2009 Chilean Election”). The piece, published in September 2009, details the current attitudes in the country and the possible outcomes of the election. The information is based on a poll taken by the Center of Public Studies and finds that due to the pluralistic aspects of Chilean society, any candidate hopeful of taking the presidency must put forth concrete examples of how his or her ideas will benefit the society at large. It is not possible to simply win the office by promising great outcomes without providing plans of how to achieve them as it is in other portions of Latin America. The full report can be found here.

Congresso Visible (CV, Colombia) held its “Forum on Transparency in the Legistative Branch and Freedom of Information” on April 16, 2009, which presented the results of a poll that evaluated the knowledge that Colombians have about their legislative branch and what they would like to learn. Many congressional leaders from throughout Latin America attended the forum. They commented on the procedures being adopted across the region to include citizens in the legislative process.

The Instituto de Ciencia Política (ICP, Colombia) published “La Política Exterior Iraní Importa,” (“Iran’s Foreign Policy Matters”), by Mariana Fajardo Aristizábal, in June 2009. Detailing the history of the effects that Iran’s foreign policy has had on the West, Ms. Aristizábal writes about the detrimental consequences that a second term for Ahmadinejad could bring to Latin America, where unstable democracies can be easily influenced by external affairs.

In July 2009, ICP published “Reforma Política y Reelección,” (“Public Reform and Reelection”) by Bibiana Andrea Clavijo Romero, Maria Alejandra Arboleda Arango, and Marcela Prieto Botero. The paper explains that there have been many instances where the Colombian political elite has attempted to undermine democracy using the very institutions that were designed to protect it. The congress has tried to superimpose its power over the executive branch and ensure that the rules of the game are bent in the favor of the legislature.

ICP also released the August 2009 Perspectivas magazine entitled “Energías Alternativas.” Articles include: “Referendos en América Latina: Una Herramienta que Fortalece o Debilita las Instituciones Democráticas?,” (“Referendums in Latin America: A Tool that Strengthens or Weakens Democractic Institutions?”) by Angélica Durán Martínez; “Dolarización para las Américas,” (“Dollarization for the Americas”) by Luis E. Loría; and “El Estado Supremo de la Corrupción Es Constitucional” (“The Supreme State of Corruption Is Constitutional”) by Jacques Carbou and Stephen Launay. The entire newsletter can be found here.

The Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas, A.C. (CIDE, Mexico) published a “Guía de Indicadores de Buen Gobierno en las Entidades Federativas,” (“Good Government in the Federative Entities Indicator Guide”), by Guillermo M. Cejudo, Roberto Gerhard, and Dionisio Zabaleta. The authors echo the opinion of most civil society organizations in Mexico: state level governments maintain high levels of secrecy and little public accountability. In order to help curb this problem, 35 good government indicators, which have been drafted by civil society and successfully used in some parts of Mexico since 1997, are included in the paper.

CIDE also published David Arellano’s “Reformas Administrativas y Organizaciones como Arenas: La lógica de la Interactuación (Esbozando el “Efecto Neto” Organizacional).” (“Administrative Reforms and Organizations as Arenas: The Logic of Interaction [Hinting to the Organizational “Net Effect””]). The paper discusses the generalized idea that administrative reforms are basically instruments capable of designing and implementing behavioral changes. The concept of the “organizational net effect” is proposed through the review of important sociological and organizational ideas like the construction of social realities. The idea of “net effect” aims to build administrative reforms accountable for the final actual effects of the reform itself.

“La Rendición de Cuentas de los Gobiernos Estatales en México,” (“Accountability in Mexican State Governments”), by Alejandra Ríos y Guillermo M. Cejudo, examines four processes related to accountability: the government’s willingness to produce documents, evaluate, monitor, and prosecute after wrongdoings occur. Since legislative procedures establishing these processes have not followed a scheduled plan, they consistently do not function properly or at all to ensure accountability.

Finally, Mercedes Albornoz’s “Choice of Law in International Contracts in Latin American Legal Systems” examines the widely accepted principle that international contracts are subject to whichever legal system is appropriate for the agreement. However, some Latin American countries are not in favor of this freedom of choice. Albornoz’s document “presents a detailed regional map of choice of law in international contracts and analyzes some countries’ resistance to party autonomy…and it proposes several ways to look for legal certainty in international contracts.”

FUNDAR (Mexico) released a report on “Repensando Estrategias Macroeconómicas desde una Perspectiva de Derechos Humanos (Por qué EME y Derechos Humanos II),” (Rethinking Macroeconomic Strategies from a Human Rights Perspective [Why EME and Human Rights II]), by Radhika Balakrishnan, Diane Elson, and Rajeev Patel. The report presents the case for a reshaping of macroeconomic policies in Mexico and around the world based on the extreme problems that the recent financial crisis has brought. The authors call for more transparency and accountability in the governmental and economic sectors. Another major aspect of this restructuring includes the idea for a revamped pension system that will more evenly ensure a dignified lifestyle.

Middle East

In August 2009, the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) released its annual flagship publication: The 2009 Israeli Democracy Index on “Auditing Israeli Democracy: Twenty Years of Immigration from the Soviet Union.” Written by Asher Arian, Michael Philippov, and Anna Knafelman, the publication details the high levels of dissatisfaction that most Israelis feel toward the quality of democracy in their country due to corruption and examines the relationship between more recent immigrants from the former Soviet Union and those that have resided in the Jewish state since its inception. The Index was launched at an August 2 event at the President’s House in Jerusalem that was hosted by Israeli President Shimon Peres. More information and photos of the event can be found here.

IDI also recently released three issues of its newsletter, Terrorism and Democracy. The September 2009 issue includes an article on “KindHearts Case: U.S. Federal District Court Rules that Asset Freezing of a Terror Supporting Organization Pending Investigation is Unconstitutional” by Ido Rosenzweig and Yuval Shany. The article outlines the decision by the U.S. Federal District Court in Ohio that freezing the assets of the KindHearts is unconstitutional. The authors argue that the decision will decisively affect American policy on limiting the proliferation of terrorist activities.

The August 2009 issue includes articles on “Rockets from Gaza – HRW Report of the Harm to Civilians from Palestinians Armed Groups' Rocket Attacks” and “Update on Universal Jurisdiction: Spanish Court of Appeals Decides to Close the Inquiry into the Targeted Killing of Salah Shehadeh” by Ido Rosenzweig and Yuval Shany. The July 2009 issue includes an article on “Amnesty Report on Operation Cast Lead” and “Israeli High Court of Justice Rejects Contempt of Court Motion on the Sse of Torture” both by Ido Rosenzweig and Yuval Shany.

The Al-Urdun Al-Jadid Research Center (Jordan, UJRC) convened three roundtables during the second quarter of 2009. The first covered women’s rights in Jordan and the agreement reached at the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The second roundtable, entitled “Devising and Activating a Code of Conduct for Civil Society Organisations and the Media,” was led by H.E. Taher Masri. May Al-Taher presented the UJRC’s preliminary Code of Ethics for civil society organizations, which addresses issues facing the relationship between organizations and the media such as transparency, good governance, and accountability. Finally, a third roundtable was held on “Building the Trust of the Public Sector in Civil Society Organizations.” The “roundtable brought up issues of civil society-related legislation especially the Societies’ Law, foreign funding, new roles of civil society, legal framework of elections, political parties, and other topics, and came out with concrete policy recommendations.” To request a copy of a newsletter containing all of the most recent news at the UJRC, please write to ujrc@ujrc-jordan.org.

The Iranian Studies Unit’s Andrew Boyko, Mark Lewis, and Louise Stenfors Virenfeldt at the Center for Strategic Studies (Jordan) have published a July 2009 paper on “The World Responds to Iran’s Elections: An Early Assessment.” The paper looks into the effects of the recent elections in Iran and examines reactions from many countries and groups around the world. The authors pose the question as to whether military action is inevitable and come to the conclusion that such action is much more likely given the recent escalation of events.

In September 2009, the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) published the “Palestinian Public Opinion Poll Number 33,” which finds that the public is increasingly more in favor of president Abbas while increasingly opposed to Hamas’ ideals. The poll also reveals a higher rate of approval for America’s role in instilling peace in the region than in previous polls, yet there is less faith in the possible reunification of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

PSR also released the “Joint Israeli Palestinian Poll” in August 2009. The poll finds that, unlike Palestinians, Israelis are less favorable to intervention in the peace process by the Americans following Obama's election and, although more than half of the Palestinians still believe that Obama’s position favors Israel. The poll summarizes both populations’ ideas on the future possibilities of continued hostility and finds that both groups are less worried this year about being harmed by conflict than they were previously.

In September 2009, the Gulf Research Center (GRC, United Arab Emirates) released the latest issue of its newsletter, the Gulf Monitor. In “Islamic Finance in the GCC: Trends, Prospects and Challenges,” Dr. Samir Ranjan Pradhan expounds upon the Islamic financial system and gives both historical background and his views on the decisive role that the system will play on the global financial system in the future, especially as investments in Africa and the Indian subcontinent increase. Kareem Mahjoub questions the effects of the recent elections in Iran in “The Iranian Elections: Change or No Change?” The author foresees Iran continuing on its path toward nuclear enrichment and urges the international community to unite on a common stance on Iran. Finally, “IRENA in Abu Dhabi: New Opportunities and Challenges,” by Dr. Mohamed Abdel Raouf, discusses the choice of the International Renewable Energy Agency’s representatives to have Abu Dhabi as their headquarters. He sees IRENA as a new force in propelling forward the use of renewable energy and its choice to situate itself in the first zero carbon emission city in the world as an excellent one.

The Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID, United States) published the September 2009 Democracy Watch. Six editorials detail ongoing issues in the Arab world in the English version of the newsletter. The first, “The Crisis of Arab Political Parties: Causes and Obstacles,” by Slaheddine Jourchi, introduces the crisis that Arab political parties face given their long history with multi-partism and the inability of parties to effectively consolidate power. The other editorials go on to detail the struggle across the region. These editorials include “Algeria: More than 30 Political Parties and 4 More Await Authorization” by Lekhdari Mohamed; “Saudi Arabia: Saudi Elite and Political Parties” by Abdel Wahab Al ‘Areed; and “Sudan: Political Parties in Sudan and the Absence of Democratic Transition” by Ahmed Omar Khogly.

The June 2009 Democracy Watch contains seven editorials about issues facing the Middle East. These include “The Freedom of the Press in the Arab World: It’s Matter of Time and Balance of Power” by Slaheddine Jourchi; “Tunisia: Official Media versus Public Media” by Lofty Hadji; “Morocco: Freedom of the Press in Theory and Practice” by Jamal Bendahmane; “Syria: Freedom of the Press: Obstacles and Challenges” by Bahia Mardini; “Palestine: Press Partisanship” by Ghassan Nimr; “Sudan: State-Controlled Press or No Press” by Ahmed Omar Khoglie; and “Libya: Freedom of the Press Takes a Step Backward” by Essa Abdul Qayoum.

Russia and the Former Soviet Union

The Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy, and Development (CIPDD, Georgia) recently published its 2009 Sociology Research Paper on “Assessment of Reform in Education System.” Prepared by Marina Elbakidze and based on a survey carried out by Anna Chelidze, Thako Charkviani, Sophie Zviadadze, and Merab Tsindeliani, the paper details the low levels of understanding most Georgians, including some who are directly involved in the education system, have concerning educational reforms currently underway. The study found that while most people agree that reform is necessary, they also believe that it is being implemented with little to no effectiveness.

In October 2009, the Carnegie Moscow Center (Russia) published Twenty Years of Religious Freedom in Russia, a Russian-language volume edited by Alexey Malashenko and Sergei Filatov. It includes “case studies of Orthodox Christianity, Islam and other faiths” that “provide a window onto the legal foundations and practical realities of church-state relations.” It also provides insight into the future of freedom of religion in Russia and the challenges it will face by combining the findings of many of the Center’s seminars that took place between 2007 and 2009.

Another book, Ramzan Kadyrov: The Chechen Version of Russian Authoritarianism, written by Alexy Malashanko and published in July 2009, examines how “relations between Moscow and Grozny are largely shaped through informal communication between the prime minister of Russia and the president of Chechnya.” It also examines how this relationship has both predetermined the dictatorial character of the Kadyrov government and “makes the Kremlin a hostage of its Chechen protege.”

The Center also published an August 2009 Briefing on “Losing the Caucasus” by Alexy Malashanko. The Brief details the situation in the Northern Caucusus and characterizes the state of affairs as “reliably unstable.” Mr. Malashanko goes on to explain that the region, while seeking independence, maintains a high level of dependency on the Russian federal government. He foresees a tumultuous road ahead for the region with continued terrorism and political strife.

Finally, the Center also released its September 2009 newsletter, which includes news and events concerning the Russian political arena, as well as articles on the Obama administration’s cancellation of the missile defense system due to be built in Eastern Europe. Articles on the topic include: Dmitri Trenin’s “On the Cancellation of U.S. Missile Defense Plans in Poland and the Czech Republic;” Douglas H. Paal’s “Russia Missile Defense Cooperation Possible in Europe;” and Sharon Squassoni’s “The Fallout of a Reversal on Missile Defense.” It also contains an article looking ahead to the U.S. Secretary of State’s visit to Russia entitled “Clinton's Russia Visit Unlikely to Lead to Breakthrough” by Alexei Arbatov.

The International Centre for Policy Studies (ICPS, Ukraine) published a September 2009 European Focus on “Façade Europeanization” by Alyona Getmanchuk that discusses the cultural processes and mindsets that Ukraine is adopting concerning its own integration and Europeanization. While Ukrainians, both government officials and citizens alike, are seemingly obsessed with becoming part of the integrated Europe, the political path that they are taking is not one that seems to be the most democratic and European.

In a September 2009 Policy Brief on “Democracy, the Undiscovered Country: Preparing for the 2010 Election,” Sacha Tessier-Stall argues that Ukrainian politics are more unpredictable than they were five years ago, and the country is still far from being a functioning democracy. The article outlines the candidates and their possibilities to take the presidency in what will surely be a closely monitored election and a precursor for the viability of democracy in the region. Mr. Tessier-Stall has hope for the 2010 election, saying that the country maintains the freest media and probably the most well-defined electoral process in the former Soviet bloc.

Three recent issues of ICPS News, the Centre’s weekly newsletter, will be of interest to democracy scholars. The July 20, 2009, issue on “Consensus Forecast: Things Will Get Better in 2010” details the economic revival of Ukraine in 2009 and foresees an even greater recovery during the year to come. The September 21, 2009, issue on “Residential Services: How to Make Them More Affordable” discusses how Ukraine’s government can improve the lives of consumers at a local level and questions how civil society can help to influence the fiscal decisions of the government regarding consumer rights, which play a role in the quality of democracy. Finally, the October 5, 2009, issue on “Can Elections Be Harmful to Democracy?” examines the actual influence of elections in Ukraine as, five years after the Orange Revolution, most of the promises made have yet to be realized. The issue is based on a meeting of Ukrainian youth leaders with the Right Honorable Steven Byers as he discussed the pros and cons of the democratic process. A complete archive of the weekly ICPS newsletter is available here.

United States and Canada

The Applied Research Center at IFES (ARC, United States) published Public Funding Solutions for Political Parties in Muslim-Majority Societies, by Marcin Walecki, Kevin Casas-Zamora, Omer Genckaya, Dina Ammar, Chantal Sarkis-Hanna, Karma Ekmekji-Boladian, and Elobaid Ahmed Elobaid. The book, published in July 2009, “addresses how to design public funding systems that encourage cleaner and more competitive elections and robust party systems in Muslim-majority societies” in order to strengthen democracy and ensure free elections in the region.

ARC will also publish Political Finance Regulation: The Global Experience in November 2009. Consolidating the findings of a multiyear project funded by the United Nations Democracy Fund in which IFES actively promoted transparency in political party and campaign financing through various activities, the book will discuss lessons learned in the areas of financial disclosure, spending limits, public funding, and financial enforcement. For more information, please contact Jeff Brady at jbrady@ifes.org.

Barak Hoffman, executive director of the Center for Democracy and Civil Society at Georgetown University (CDACS, United States), and Lindsay Robinson published an article on “Tanzania’s Missing Opposition” in the July 2009 Journal of Democracy. The authors examine Tanzania’s political system, which is overwhelmingly led by one political party, and explore the factors, including political suppression by the leading party and public skepticism, that contribute to the lack of viable alternatives.

The Center for the Study of Democracy at the University of California at Irvine(United States) published a September 2009 paper on “Economic and Political Reform in China and the Former Soviet Union,” by Thomas Bernstein, in which the author analyzes reforms in China and the former Soviet Union and attempts to determine why China’s reforms have been exponentially more successful than those of its ally. Mr. Bernstein strays from the conventional idea of only focusing on China’s economic reforms by highlighting the country’s political reforms and how they differ from those of the former Soviet Union.

Michael McFaul, former director of Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law (CDDRL, United States) will publish Advancing Democracy Abroad: Why We Should and How We Can in November 2009, in which he charts a democracy promotion agenda for the Obama administration. He “explains how Americans can reap economic and security gains from democratic advance around the world” and delineates how democracy has been successfully promoted in the past.

CDDRL also released a September 2009 Working Paper on “Gurgaon and Faridabad – An Exercise in Contrasts,” by Bibek Debroy and Laveesh Bhandari, in which the authors examine two similar districts in India in order to comprehend the extent and causes of the dysfunctional Indian legal system. They hope that by focusing on the regional level, more useful solutions to the problems plaguing the legal system can be wrought.

CDDRL has launched a new program on Good Governance and Political Reform in the Arab World. The program, which will run for five years beginning in September 2009, will conduct research, conferences, and seminars and sponsor visiting scholars. The program's scholarly research will examine the different social and political dynamics within Arab societies and the evolution of political systems, with an eye on the prospects, conditions, and possible pathways for political reform. More information about the program can be found here.

On October 9, 2009, CDDRL hosted a workshop in which Nicole Hassoun, assistant professor of philosophy at Carnegie Mellon University, presented her paper, “Individual Autonomy, Institutional Legitimacy, Global Justice.” In her paper, Ms. Hassoun argues that coercive institutions, whether they be states or other governing bodies, must provide minimal, yet adequate, amounts of autonomy to their citizens in order to properly function. She explains that no state is capable of functioning without carrying through on its duty to grant minimal autonomy.

Finally, CDDRL sponsored a research seminar on “Why Is There No Arab Democracy?” on September 24, 2009, featuring CDDRL Director, Larry Diamond, in which he explored the possible explanations, including inherent cultural barriers and economic upheavals, for why there is not a single liberal democracy in the Arab world. However, he argues a more complicated “variety of political and institutional variables,” such as the ability of regimes to suppress dissent and the creation of programs of short “bursts” of political reform designed to placate the population and international community, are the core reasons for the absence of democracy in the region. More information and the full audio recording of the event can be found here.

The International Forum for Democratic Studies (United States) published the October 2009 Journal of Democracy, featuring a cluster of articles on “Iran in Ferment,” which explores the turmoil in Iran following the disputed presidential election in June. A second group of essays explores the relationship between poverty, inequality, and democracy, particularly in Latin America and Central and Eastern Europe. Other essays address elections in India and South Africa, postwar reconstruction, and more.

The International Forum is also pleased to announce its Fall 2009 cohort of Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows and Visiting Fellows. In residence are leading democratic practitioners, journalists, and scholars from a wide range of countries, including Kenya, Russia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, South Korea, Syria, and the United States. A complete list of the 2009–2010 Fellows and their bios can be found here.

Finally, the International Forum recently held two luncheon events. On October 28, Boris Begovic, director of the Center for Liberal-Democratic Studies (CLDS, Serbia) presented on “The Impact of the Economic Crisis on Central and Eastern Europe,” with comments by Mitchell Orenstein. On October 15, Joel Barkan presented on “Legislative Power in Emerging African Democracies,” with comments by Peter M. Lewis and Stephen N. Ndegwa. More information about these events, including video recordings, can be found here.