Democracy and Governance

When it comes to politics, April 2020 may be just as important as November 2020. Why? 1 April 2020 is enumeration day for the 2020 Census, a monumental task the federal government undertakes every ten years to count each and every resident—but this time, part of that count will occur for the first time over […]

This moment offers a rare opportunity for foreign powers to help break Lebanon’s historical cycles of violence and support demands for a shift to a more robust and representative democracy.

Singapore practices a brand of “accommodationist secularism” that is premised on the assumption that a separation between religion and politics is possible. Yong Han Poh argues that this assumption is flawed, and unpacks its implications on policy, political representation and religious harmony.

Ameze Belo-Osagie: Today, we have the honor of sitting with His Excellency, President Nana Akufo-Addo on his birthday. Happy birthday, Mr. President!  My name is Ameze Belo-Osagie, and I’m an interview editor for the Africa Policy Journal at the Harvard Kennedy School. Memme Onwudiwe: My name is Memme Onwudiwe, and I’m senior interview editor for […]

“It is tempting to believe that the cynic is, somehow, more intelligent than the dreamer. But in truth, pragmatism is no smarter than idealism.” Lee Chin Wee argues that, in discussions about Singapore’s future, we should leave room at the table for idealists and dreamers. In his view, it is a mistake to treat the government’s growth-oriented and metrics-focused narrative of pragmatism as gospel truth. When Singaporeans present and grapple with competing visions of the ‘good’, this strengthens social inclusion and improves policy-making.

After nearly eight years and immense human suffering, the Bashar al-Assad regime is nearing victory in Syria. Aleppo City, Homs, and Rif Damascus—once strongholds of the opposition—have fallen to government forces. President Assad, who in the course of the conflict has employed chemical weapons and indiscriminate violence against Syrians, has now turned his sights on […]

In their first debates on June 26 and 27, twenty candidates made the case for why they should be the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee. The candidates highlighted a number of tangible and compelling reasons, including their prior records in government, their well-conceived policy solutions, and their electability. But, while pedigree and experience are important predictors […]

Abstract The fall of European colonial empires during the second half of the twentieth century led to a new international order characterized by the democratization of international organizations. In return, the democratization of international organizations reinforced the legal duty of human rights protection within the international community. Our aim is to provide an overview of […]

Before my first visit to Vermont last month, I assumed the state’s main exports were Ben & Jerry’s and beer. And though it’s true that I’ll be bringing a pint (or two) of each back home, I’m most excited to be leaving with renewed civic optimism. Vermonters have created a governing climate that’s in scarce […]

On March 26, 2019, Quebec Premier François Legault confirmed that his government intended to preemptively override Canadian constitutional rights when passing Bill 21, An Act Respecting the Laicity of the State. While political taboos have historically prevented governments from using such overrides, normalization and changing political rhetoric have removed the restraints that once prevented politicians […]

Congress is polarized. So polarized, in fact, that one would have to go all the way back to the Reconstruction era to find a similar level of discord. But perhaps more surprising is that while Congress has become more polarized, the American public has not: its dispersion of views has remained generally stable for decades. […]

How did Buhari win? Or, as the opposing camp have asked, how did Atiku lose? This article considers pertinent forces that shaped the election outcome, and argues that technological infrastructure already found in Nigeria holds promising solutions for future elections. Africa’s largest democracy went to the polls to elect a president on the last Saturday […]