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e-Government
commentary
E-enabled Elections: The Future of Overseas Voting in Europe?
Katherine Stewart
Apr 26, 2018
The RAND Blog
Interest in technological solutions for elections is at an all-time high, but there are only a few mature online voting systems to learn from. Countries seeking to pilot e-enabled elections can learn from Estonia and others, but should also learn from those that never made it to full implementation.
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Democracy
commentary
In Africa, Presidential Term Limits Are Working
Alexander H. Noyes
Apr 24, 2018
The Washington Post Monkey Cage Blog
World news regularly features headlines about African power grabs and constitutional coups. Presidents Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia both adhered to term limits, stepping aside after finishing their second terms. Are they part of a broader trend?
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e-Government
commentary
Online Voting: The Solution to Declining Political Engagement?
Katherine Stewart, Jirka Taylor
Mar 23, 2018
E!Sharp
The potential benefits of online voting merit a conversation across Europe about its increased use in elections. But the evidence is mixed on whether online voting actually helps increase voter turnout.
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Civic Education
commentary
Truth Decay and the Spirit of the Law
Dan Grunfeld
Mar 23, 2018
Daily Journal
The widening gap between how the law is expected to be (and generally is) practiced, and certain events transpiring in America's political and policymaking realms, is of increasing concern.
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Political Reform Movements
commentary
Unrest in Iran: An Opportunity for Democratic Change
Richard Charles Baffa @R_Baffa
Jan 14, 2018
U.S. News & World Report
As the unrest that began in Iran on Dec. 28 begins to wane following a crackdown, it is difficult to assess what may come next. But this is not the first time Iranians have come out on the streets to protest and challenge authoritarian rule, nor will it be the last; the Iranian people have a long history of seeking a democratic political order.
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International Economic Relations
commentary
Economic Instability Endangers Democracy
Jordan Willcox
Dec 16, 2017
The National Interest
The Western political community is retreating from its own institutions. The problem stems from the fact that the health of democracies is crucially dependent on their economic growth rate.
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Japan
commentary
Japan's Election Matters for U.S. Interests
Jeffrey W. Hornung
Oct 21, 2017
Newsweek
What happens in Japan's election carries enormous consequence for the United States and its interests in the region. U.S. Asia policy begins and ends with America's critical alliance with Japan.
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Iran
commentary
Could Iran's Rouhani Lose?
Alireza Nader
May 3, 2017
RealClearWorld
In this month's presidential election Rouhani is running against Ebrahim Raisi, a trusted member of the revolutionary establishment. The Iranian population continues to live under duress and may be open to new candidates. The Iran nuclear deal hasn't resulted in the great economic windfall Rouhani promised.
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Mali
commentary
What Mali Really Needs
Michael Shurkin @MichaelShurkin
Jan 23, 2017
U.S. News & World Report
Mali needs more international engagement, as well as serious pressure on the Malian state to strengthen its hold on the country. The key will be helping beyond just security force assistance and conventional economic development aid; Mali needs help governing.
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Democracy
commentary
Were Russian Hacks Really a Threat to American Democracy?
Andrew Parasiliti @ATParasiliti
Dec 30, 2016
The National Interest
The Russian attacks should be another wake up call about the relentless probing of America's digital assets by adversaries and the potential consequences of weak cyber defenses. But U.S. democracy appears to have survived safe and sound.
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Russia
commentary
How Can We Be Sure Putin Hacked the Democrats?
Cynthia Dion-Schwarz @CDionSchwarz
Dec 16, 2016
Newsweek
Did Russia conduct an election cyber campaign against America? There is likely no smoking gun. But there is presumably a preponderance of technical evidence, intelligence, and benefits to Moscow that points in that direction.
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Security Cooperation
commentary
Emergencies: France, Mali, and Turkey Are Playing with Fire
Michael Shurkin @MichaelShurkin
Aug 15, 2016
Breaking Defense
The leaders of France, Mali, and Turkey have declared formal states of emergency. France's Hollande and Mali's Keïta, while responding to real threats, are risking democracy. Erdogan appears to be targeting democracy and using Turkey's recent failed coup as a pretext.
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United Kingdom
commentary
Time for a Do-Over on Brexit
James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins
Jul 7, 2016
USA Today
As the right of the UK voters to decide on EU membership should be respected, so should their right to change their minds. There is no reason to regard their choice to leave as irreversible.
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Political Reform Movements
commentary
It's Too Soon to Write Off the Arab Spring as a Failure
Shelly Culbertson @SC_Culbertson
Jun 15, 2016
Newsweek
Pessimistically declaring the Arab Spring a failure in 2016 would be as naive as optimistically declaring it a success in 2011. Something comes next—but what?
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Democracy
essay
Taking the American Pulse This Election Season
May 4, 2016
For the past decade, a unique RAND survey has asked Americans how they feel about the economic crisis, health care reform, and more. Now, it's focused on the 2016 presidential election.
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Tunisia
commentary
Tunisia Is an Arab Spring Success Story
Shelly Culbertson @SC_Culbertson
Apr 21, 2016
Observer
Tunisia has not unraveled into civil war like Syria or Libya. It has not undergone a counter-revolution that returned it to the autocracy of its pre-revolution days, like Egypt has. Tunisia is fragile, but its success is vital to the long-term stability and societal health of the Middle East.
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Democracy

E-enabled Elections: The Future of Overseas Voting in Europe?

In Africa, Presidential Term Limits Are Working

Online Voting: The Solution to Declining Political Engagement?

Truth Decay and the Spirit of the Law

Unrest in Iran: An Opportunity for Democratic Change

Economic Instability Endangers Democracy

Japan's Election Matters for U.S. Interests

Could Iran's Rouhani Lose?

What Mali Really Needs

Were Russian Hacks Really a Threat to American Democracy?

How Can We Be Sure Putin Hacked the Democrats?

Emergencies: France, Mali, and Turkey Are Playing with Fire

Time for a Do-Over on Brexit

It's Too Soon to Write Off the Arab Spring as a Failure

Taking the American Pulse This Election Season

Tunisia Is an Arab Spring Success Story

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