1. News and Announcements

Call for Submissions: Romanian Journal of Political Science:
The Romanian Journal of Political Science, published by the Romanian Academic Society (SAR), has issued a call for submissions for the next issue of the Journal, which will have a special focus on Governance after the Crisis. The Journal invites academic papers, reviews of recent publications, and announcements of forthcoming volumes on approaches to governance after the recent financial and economic crisis. The papers can address both issues related to changes in approaches to governance at various levels, as well as broad theoretical debates on world governance trends. PolSci also accepts a limited number of articles outside its focus to be published in the current or future issues. For the issue to be published in the summer of 2010, authors are invited to submit their work by April 15th, 2010. More information and details on authors guidelines and submission procedures are available here.

CSID Holds Its 11th Annual Conference in Washington, DC:
On April 28, 2010, the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (United States) will hold its 11th Annual Conference on U.S. Relations with the Muslim World: One Year After Cairo in Washington, D.C. The conference will include an opening keynote address on Prospects for Improved Relations and Understanding between the U.S. and the Muslim World and a closing address on Building Bridges of Understanding between America and the Muslim World. Other panel sessions will cover topics such as Dialogue with Political Islamists, Muslim Perceptions and Public Opinion, Islam, Human Rights, and Development, Voices from the Middle East, and Democracy and Democracy Promotion. A roundtable discussion on Perspectives on Muslim Engagement will also take place within the framework of the conference. Registration for the event is available here.

Call for Nominations: 2010 Rights & Democracy John Humphrey Award:
Rights & Democracy (ICHRDD, Canada) has issued a call for nominations for its 2010 John Humphrey Award, given each year to an organization or individual from any region of the world for outstanding achievement in the promotion of human rights and democratic development. The Award consists of a grant of $30,000 and a speaking tour of Canadian cities to help increase awareness of the recipients human rights work. The nominee can be an individual or an organization and must be committed to peace and non-violence and independent of any political party or governmental affiliation. More eligibility requirements as well as nomination procedures are available here. Deadline for submission is April 15, 2010.

Rights & Democracy Appoints Acting President:
In January, the Board of Directors of Rights & Democracy (ICHRDD, Canada) appointed Dr. Jacques P. Gauthier as acting president of the organization after the sudden death of its former president, Rmy M. Beauregard. Dr. Gauthier, born in Montral, is a respected Canadian lawyer who specializes in international law and human rights. He has defended the human rights of children and French language minorities and is a noted international law expert. He was appointed to the Board in 2008, and has served Rights & Democracy as Vice-Chair and Acting Chair. Dr. Gauthier's biography can be found here.

The NDRI To Sponsor Two Workshops at WMDs Global Assembly in Jakarta in April:
The Network of Democracy Research Institutes is cosponsoring two workshops at the World Movement for Democracys Global Assembly in Jakarta on April 1114, 2010. The first, Liberation Technology: Its Impact on the Struggle for Democracy, is cosponsored by the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS Viitorul, Moldova). Featured speakers include Igor Munteanu, Premesh Chandran, Esraa Rashed, and Tinoziva Bere. The second, cosponsored by the Ghana Center for Democratic Development will feature presentations by Aasiya Riaz (PILDAT), Orazio J. Bellettini (Grupo Faro), and Sook Jong Lee (East Asia Institute). Workshop reports will be available after the Assembly. More information about the Assembly can be found here.

 

2. New Publications and Recent Events by NDRI Members

Africa

Afrobarometer published a Working Paper on African Perspectives on China-Africa: Gauging Popular Perceptions and their Economic and Political Determinants, by Aleksandra Gadzala and Marek Hanusch in January 2010. The paper adds to the plentiful literature examining the rapidly emerging economic and political relationship between China and many African countries, but the authors study this relationship from an African perspective. While much of the literature has focused primarily on the economic benefits to African states and Chinas growth as a result of its investments on the continent, this paper approaches the issue by employing multi-level modeling techniques [to] estimate the effects of Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, Sino-African trade, and African notions of democracy and human rights on African attitudes regarding China-in-Africa. The paper also includes tables that depict how each countrys citizens view Chinese investment and how they rate its effectiveness, as well as charts detailing the amount of FDI by country.

Two Briefing Papers, written by Peter K. Lolojih, were published by Afrobarometer in February 2010. The first, Zambian Citizens, Democracy and Political Participation, utilizes results of the survey conducted by Afrobarometer in Zambia in June 2009 to observe how Zambians view democratic participation. The paper reveals that, despite 50 percent of respondents expressing satisfaction with democracy during the past five years, there are still low levels of interaction between constituents and political representatives. Furthermore, respondents generally feel that opposition parties still require strengthening in order to achieve systematic power changes. The second paper, Citizen Perceptions of the Economic and Living Conditions in Zambia, analyzes the rising insecurity that most Zambians face regarding their standards of living and possibilities for economic mobility. More than a third of the countrys citizens feel that the economic situation will worsen further in the coming years. Access to basic necessities has diminished as well, due mainly to the global economic crisis and rising fuel prices. The author calls on the government to draft beneficial reforms and disseminate information in a clear fashion to the populace in order to garner support.

The Ghana Center for Democratic Development announced the release of the latest issue of Democracy Watch on March 9, 2010. The newsletter examines the first year of the Mills administration in Ghana, which included incidents such as two problem-ridden parliamentary elections, bribery allegations, and ex-gratia payments of politicians. The authors argue that it has become abundantly clear that the commitment of the leadership of Ghanaian political parties, or at least elements within it[,] to the idea that freely and fairly conducted elections are inherently good and desirable, is extremely weak. The Center calls for the strict prosecution of those who take part in election violence or dissuasion of voting. The newsletter contains many other detailed examinations of the crucial events of the first year of the current administration that can all be found here.

On March 15, 2010, CDD Ghana hosted its annual Kronti ne Akwamu (Democracy and Governance) lecture with a presentation by Dr. Jendayi Frazer, director of Carnegie Mellon Universitys Center for International Policy and Innovation. During the lecture, Ms. Frazer urged African leaders to professionalize election management and called on stakeholders in election management across Africa to seek new approaches to ending electoral conflicts by promoting election security. In addition to problematic elections, Ms. Frazer named powerful presidencies, threats of dynastic succession, and an unwillingness among politicians to relinquish power as the major challenges to democracy in Africa. The Kronti ne Akwamu lecture features distinguished scholars and practitioners who focus on democracy-building and good governance.

A governance expert at CDD Ghana, E. Kojo Pumpuni Asante, recently gave a lecture on The Oil Find in Ghana: Avoiding the Pitfalls of the Niger Delta at Cape Three Points, in which he argues that Ghanas two leading political parties must refrain from their continuous squabbling in order to implement a bipartisan oil policy that will bring concrete improvements to the countrys economy. He states that transparency in the executive branch is also frail and further weakens the possibility for an overhaul of oil policies. Using the example of Nigerias failed oil policies, Mr. Pumpuni Asante calls for a new legal framework that would effectively manage resources and their revenues. The summary of the lecture, written by the Daily Graphic and appearing on CDDs website, can be found here.

Kimberly Smiddy, senior research associate at the Democracy in Africa Research Units (DARU, South Africa) recently launched African Legislatures Project, and Daniel J. Young published Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in Malawi, May 2009 in the December 2009 Electoral Studies. The article examines the fourth elections held in Malawi during its multi-party history to choose both the president and the parliament on May 19, 2009. The elections were hailed domestically and internationally as largely free and fair. Bingu wa Mutharika retained his position as president, and in an unprecedented turn of events, the majority in parliament was won by his party. Therefore, Malawis fourth term of democracy will begin with another first: a united executive and legislature, which many view as a significant step toward the passage of beneficial reforms.

In January 2010, the African Legislatures Project also published The African Legislatures Project: First Findings, by Joel D. Barkan, Robert Mattes, Shaheen Mozaffar, and Kimberly Smiddy. The findings are based on the preliminary coding and analysis of data obtained from research in six countriesKenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Namibia and South Africa. As most pre-existing literature on African legislatures focuses on individual countries on a case-by-case basis, the ALP published its initial findings as a groundbreaking comparative analysis of these legislatures. The report examines "why most African legislatures are weak legislatures and the role of African MPs.

The Institute for Democracy in South Africa (Idasa) published three books since the last issue of Democracy Research News. The March 2010 Idasas Democracy IndexTesting Democracy: Which Way is South Africa Going?, edited by Neeta Misra-Dexter and Judith February, assess[es] South Africas democracy in terms of the goals that defined the countrys democratic transformation in 1994 and examines how the current democracy lives up to the expectations of South Africans. Chapters include: Key Institutions Affecting Democracy in South Africa by Pierre de Vos; Beneath the Surface: Civil Society and Democracy after Polokwane by Steven Friedman; and The Developmental State and Post-Liberation South Africa by Samantha Ashman, Ben Fine, and Susan Newman. The second part of the book features thematic chapters that examine democracy and how it relates to participation, elections, accountability, political freedom, and human dignity.

The February 2010 book entitled Oil and Governance Report: A Case Study of Chad, Angola, Gabon, and Sao Tome Principe, by Karin Alexander and Stefan Gilbert, examines how natural resources, particularly oil, negatively affect development in four resource-rich African countries. The political arena is targeted as the primary problem because of the centralization and secretiveness of extraction deals and the corrupt actions of politicians and bureaucrats when managing oil revenues. The authors search to identify ways in which civil society can effectively engage with policy-makers in order to bring about substantive change in revenue management and transparency. They find that civil society cannot do this alone; they must be joined in the effort by international donors and agencies, multi-nationals, and the governments themselves.

Surviving on the Move: Migration, Poverty and Development in Southern Africa, edited by Jonathan Crush and Bruce Frayne, was also published in February 2010 by Idasa and the Development Bank of Southern Africa. The book focuses on the increasingly crucial topic of international migration, which has spiked in southern Africa since the fall of Apartheid. The examination takes place within the framework of the Millennium Development Goals established by the United Nations, because migration can either facilitate the attainment of some MDGs or, in some circumstances, actively undermine them. Chapters written by leading scholars on migration policies target discrimination against migrants, the impact of remittances, and the high rates of HIV/AIDS infection among migrant populations.

Finally, the February 2010 Democracy in Action newsletter announces the launch of Idasas Cape Town Democracy Centre. The Centre will host a bookshop and innovative public space for dialogue. Pictures of the inaugurating event are available here. The newsletter also announces that the both South Africas State of the Nation report and budget statement were released in February. They report that the South African economy has formally moved out of recession, and though some indicators, such as household consumption expenditure, are improving, economic recovery will be slow. Additional books and articles are featured on topics such as: The Governance of Power edited by Hilda Herman and Democratic Transition in the Democratic Republic of Congo by Sylvester Bongani Maphosa.

Asia and the Pacific

The Centre for Democratic Institutions (CDI, Australia) published a January 2010 Policy Paper on Political Parties and Post-Conflict Transition: the Results and Implications of the 2009 Parliamentary Elections in Aceh by Ben Hillman. Since Indonesias return to democracy, only national parties with a cross-regional organizational basis have been allowed to contest elections, and local political parties are restricted from contesting even local elections. In April 2009, parties representing exclusively local interests were allowed to contest provincial legislative elections, resulting in an impressive victory for the Free Aceh Movement. Based on a province-wide survey of voters in Aceh and interviews with local and national party leaders, Mr. Hillmans paper examines the Aceh Party victory and its implications for Jakarta-Aceh relations. Mr. Hillman argues that while the introduction of local political parties in Aceh represents a milestone for peace and democracy in Aceh, new policies are needed if local political parties are to be securely integrated into Indonesias broader political party system.

On February 2226, 2010, CDI and the Institute for Peace and Democracy in Indonesia hosted a course on Effective Financial Scrutiny: The Role of Parliament in Public Finance that trained parliamentarians and officials on how to efficiently manage new budget-making procedures in place since the Indonesian House of Representatives created the State Finance Accountability Board (BAKN). The BAKN was established due to the recent surge of parliaments in the region that are rethinking their role in the budget process and reasserting themselves as more active players, while parliamentarians lack the skills to effectively manage these resources due to the size and complexity of government. A course report, course program, list of participants, and photos of the event can all be found here.

CDI also hosted its third annual Effective Parliamentary Committee Inquiries Course on February 1519, 2010, in association with the Parliament of New South Wales, the World Bank Institute, and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. The course assists parliamentary committee staff in developing their skills in the arenas of researching terms of reference, planning and budgeting for an inquiry, collecting written and oral evidence, conducting public hearings, writing a report and tabling the final report in Parliament. The courses program and report as well as a list of participants can be found here.

CDI Director Ben Reilly spoke at a workshop on Indonesian and Asian Democratic Transition and Reform Experiences, hosted at IPD on February 2225, 2010, in Bali. The conference convened members of the Bali Democracy Forum, represented by senior government officials, military officials, civic/opinion leaders and national legislatorsfrom the Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Burma/Myanmar, Nepal and Indonesia. Professor Reilly lectured on Creating Representative GovernmentReforming Political Parties, Democratising Elections and Enhancing the Roles of Legislative, Executive and Judiciary. Additional subjects discussed included: Grounding Constitutionalism and Promoting Rule of Law, Promoting Civilian Supremacy in Politics, Decentralising the State and Economy, Creating and Implementing Policies for Eradicating Corruption, and Strengthening Civil Society.

Finally, CDI Deputy Director Quinton Clements, along with Professor John Uhr, presented the opening address at a professional development seminar hosted by the Australian and New Zealand Association of Clerks-At-The-Table (ANZACATT) on January 27, 2010. The event took place at the ACT Legislative Assembly and was centered on the theme of Strengthening, Securing and Promoting Parliament. Mr. Clements addressed the attempts to implement development programs aimed at strengthening the capacity of parliaments in Australias immediate region and explained some of the issues that need to be considered when contemplating assisting parliaments. The seminar supported ANZACATTs mission of enhancing members knowledge about parliamentary proceedings and management.

The Indic Studies Project of the Center for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS, India) cosponsored a seminar on Hindu Organizations in Education, Health and Development Work with the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library on March 24, 2010. The seminar served as an opportunity for several scholars to present their academic papers on the subject and was also attended by faith practitioners and leaders. The exchange represented a novel experiment at creating a space for dialogue between scholars and faith leaders [that] will lead to a fresh approach to study faith traditions in India.

The Centre for Policy Research (CPR, India) President Pratap Bhanu Mehta, along with Niraja Gopal Jayal, recently edited Oxford Companion to Politics in India (Oxford University Press, 2010). The book tracks the rising interest in Indian democracylong considered unusual due to the countrys vast diversity of religions, languages, and cultures. The book is broken down into eight sections: institutions; social cleavages, identity, and politics; political processes; social movements and civil society; ideological contestations in Indian politics; politics and policy; India and the world; and ways of looking at Indian politics.

CPR published a February 2010 Policy Brief on Steering Its Own Path in Afghanistan: Indias Options after the London Conference by Srinath Raghavan, Rudra Chaudhuri, and Samantha Lomeli. The paper argues that India should increase its existing developmental assistance and take on new a role in strengthening the Afghan National Army to fill the possible vacuum left as foreign troops begin to withdraw. The authors note that Pakistan and the United States may be opposed to any strong actions taken by India in a supporting role in Afghanistan, but they assert that the government must take a stance to ensure stability in the country and the region after Western troops recede in order to guarantee Indias own well-being. The entire brief can be found here.

The Centres Accountability Initiative recently published a Working Paper on Enhancing Accountability in Public Service Delivery through Social Audits: A Case Study of Andhra Pradesh, India by Ritesh Singh and Vinay Vutukuru. The paper attempts to uncover whether social audits are effective in enhancing accountability in governmental programs and focuses on a case study examination of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, an employment guarantee program of the Government of India. The researchers question whether the results of social audits accurately point to the effectiveness and quality of programs and conclude that the findings indeed tend to reflect the actual state of success. Full text of the paper can be found here.

CPRs PRS Legislative Research Program held its second annual conference on Effective Legislatures 2009 on December 9, 2009. Politicians and scholars came together to explore key themes related to Parliamentary functioning and governancefocus[ing] on the balance of power between the executive and the legislature, and the impact of the anti-defection law on parliamentary debate. The conference included two panels on Whos the Boss: Executive or Legislature? and "The Anti-Defection Law: Intent and Impact. A background note on The Executive versus the Legislature and a summary of proceedings are also available.

Civic Exchanges (Hong Kong) Christine Loh wrote a March 2010 book on the Underground Front: The Chinese Communist Party in Hong Kong, published by the Hong Kong University Press. The book represents a pioneering examination of the role that the Chinese Communist Party has played in Hong Kong since the creation of the Party in 1921, through to the present day. The book includes recent events and examines information obtained from a recent survey on Hong Kong citizens attitudes toward the mainland. More information about the publication is also available in Civic Exchanges February 2010 Reasonable Spread newsletter.

INCITEGov (Philippines) held a public forum on the Powers of the Presidency: Preventing Misuse and Abuse on January 30, 2010. The forum was cosponsored by the Asian Institute of Management and supported by the National Endowment for Democracy and featured more than 100 scholars, media representatives, members of civil society, and government officials, who discussed preparations for the election of the next Filipino president. The PowerPoint presentations of all of the speakers, as well as their biographies and a program of the event are all available here.

The Center for Peace and Civil Society (CPCS, Pakistan) launched a Sindh Resource Center in Hyderabad. The Center contains 2,000 books along with modern technology that will aid civil society, students, and politicians in their quest for information about democracy in Pakistan. The SRC will hold bi-monthly roundtable dialogues to discuss topics such as Federalism, Provincial Autonomy and Future of Pakistan, Can Democracy Deliver without Rule of Law?, Sources of Inter-Provincial Conflicts in Pakistan, Religious Extremism and Militarization of Society in Pakistan, Secularism and Educational Reforms, and Role of Civil Society in Democracy: What Needs to Be Done? Approximately 100 participants will attend each session, and a discussion paper will be drafted by compiling the results of the discussions.

In February, the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) announced a new initiative to prepare a Directory and an Electronic Database of Civil Society Organisations and Parliamentary Committees as part of an effort to bring parliament and civil society closer together, a linkage that they argue will be beneficial to both entities. Civil society can provide important research that parliament and parliamentary committees do not have the capacity to produce themselves and will be able to advocate their causes more effectively. The Directory and Database will match each parliamentary committee with the CSOs, professional bodies, trade organizations, research institutes, and workers organizations active in the areas directly relevant to the scope of the committees.

PILDAT also published a March 2010 Background Paper on The State of Electoral Rolls in Pakistan, in which the authors track the progress made on computerized electoral rolls in Pakistan after the February 2008 general elections to ensure accurate rolls for future elections. The paper also identifies some key questions that need to be addressed in order to restore peoples faith in the electoral rolls in particular and the electoral process in general.

The JanuaryApril 2010 Journal of East Asian Studies, edited at the East Asia Institute (EAI, South Korea) and published by Lynne Rienner Publishers, features articles on The Electoral Origin of Japans Nationalistic Leadership: Primaries in the LDP Presidential Election and the Pull Effect by Hironori Sasada; Strategies, Institutions, and Outcomes under SNTV in Taiwan, 19922004 by Dennis P. Patterson and Hans Stockton; The Muslim South in the Context of the Thai Nation by Robert B. Albritton; Transition from Single-Party Dominance? New Data from Malaysia by William Case; and North Koreas Quest for Nuclear Weapons: New Historical Evidence by Walter C. Clemens, Jr. Abstracts of all articles contained in this issue, as well as ordering information, can be found here.

In December 2009, EAI published ten new National Security Panel Working Papers, including Chinas Alliance Policy in the 21st Century: Change and Continuity by Young Nam Cho; The History of Alliance Networks by Chaesung Chun; Japans Alliance Strategy in the 21st Century: Power Transfer, Transformation, and Rebalancing by Yul Sohn; The World View of the Middle East and Alliance by Nam Sik; The Obama Administrations Foreign Policy Agenda by Sang Hyun Lee; The U.S. Alliance System in the 21st Century: Historical Overview by Sang-yun Ma; The U.S. Security Implementation Strategy by Dong Sun Lee; The Obama Administrations Strategy for East Asia and the Korean Peninsula by Seongho Sheen; The Transformation of the U.S.-Europe Alliance in the 21st Century by Jun-seok Kim; and Changes and Prospects for Russias 21 Century Alliance/Partnership Policy by Beom-Shik Shin. Full text of these and older National Security Panel Working Papers are available here.

The Sejong Institute (South Korea) published a February 2010 volume on Korea-US-China Cooperation for Peace on Korean Peninsula edited by Tai-hwan Lee. The publication examines the trilateral relationship between China, South Korea, and the US and suggests modes of improvement and development. It brings the question of North Korea into the discussion and suggests ways in which these three countries can work together to alleviate the hostility and human rights abuses perpetrated by the North Korean government. The books contributors also examine how military aid affects the situation in North Korea and put denuclearization into context given the ongoing state of affairs in the region.

The Institute also released a January 2010 book on Policymaking Process of the US, China, Japan, and Russia on the Korean Peninsula edited by Eun-sook Chung. As Koreas influence grows around the world and its democracy is strengthened and consolidated, it becomes ever more vital to understand the major international interactions in which Korea takes part. The foreign policies of four key states (the US, China, Japan, and Russia) are indispensable for comprehending how Korea develops its own policies. The book intends to serve as a resource for those interested in the future prospects for the development of the Korean state, as it is greatly intertwined with the policies of these four actors.

Two issues of the Sejong Institutes newsletter, Current Issues and Policy, were also released. The February 2010 issue includes articles on Korea's Legislation for Participation in the UN PKO Activities by Eun-sook Chung; Evaluation and Outlook of North Korean Economy after the Currency Reform by Myong-chul Cho; Conditions for Successful Diplomatic Relations with African Countries by Hong-sik Cho; and China-ASEAN FTA and Our Countermeasures by Hyeon-jeong Yoo. Articles in the January 2010 issue include: Outlook for International Situations by Dae-woo Lee; An Outlook for the US Foreign and Domestic Policies in 2010 by Sang-hyun Lee; An Outlook for Japan's Political Situation in 2010 by Myon-woo Lee; An Outlook for China's Political Situation in 2010 by Tai-hwan Lee; An Outlook for Political Situation in Russian Federation in 2010 by Hyon-sik Yon; and An Outlook for North Korean Situation in 2010 by Seong-chang Cheong.

The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA, Sri Lanka) published a Press Release on Protecting Democracy Post-Election: An End to Political Violence and Revenge in January 2010. In the release, the Centre acknowledges that the post-election violence that has plagued Sri Lanka has decidedly undermined the strength of democracy in the country. The statement urges the re-elected President Rajapakse to uphold democracy and the constitution and to remember his promise of reconstruction and reconciliation. During the first term of the presidents administration, media freedom, among others, was highly restricted, and the Centre calls for an end to these restrictions on freedom of the press as well as respect for human rights.

Europe

The Access to Information Programme (AIP, Bulgaria) launched a new Public Awareness Campaign on New Standards in Access to Information in January 2010 in which it aims to promote higher standards for the provision of public information by institutions, to encourage more active exercise of the right to information by citizens and to advance the ratification of the [Council of Europe] Convention [on Access to Official Documents] by the Bulgarian government. As part of this project, AIP translated the text of the Council of Europe Convention and the Explanatory Report into Bulgarian, performed a comparative analysis of the Bulgarian Access to Public Information Act and the Convention, and prepared a compliance assessment report, which they will send to the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to advocate for Bulgarias accession to the Convention. Three public discussions, the first round of 26 total discussions planned for 2010, were held in January 2010 in Blagoevgrad, Kyustendil, and Pernik, bringing together over 150 members of civil society, the media, and academia.

Ognyan Minchev, director of the Institute for Regional and International Studies (IRIS, Bulgaria) published several papers since the last issue of Democracy Research News. The March 2010 paper on The Black Sea Region: Strategic Balance and Policy Agenda examines how two major developments, the fall of commu" target="_blank">Serbia and Croatia Face Chance to Warm Ties and Lead Western Balkans Closer to the EU, by Stefan Ralchev, in which the author examines how recent developments, including the election of a moderate president in Croatia and the formation of a pro-European government coalition in Serbia and both countries applications to join the European Union, could signal improving relations between the two Balkan neighbors.

The Center for Policy Studies (CPS, Hungary) recently published a 2010 Working Paper by Gergo Medve-Blint on Return to Europe: Reflections after 20 Years of Democratic Renewal that examines how Hungarys democracy has developed during the two decades since the fall of communism. The results of an opinion poll and a focus group held on the subject serve as the foundation for the findings in the report. Hungarian democracy promotion, both within Hungary and abroad, is detailed along with the authors outlook for future progress of the democratic tradition. The report includes numerous charts detailing Hungarians opinions of the advantages that democracy has awarded them.

The Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDIS) 'Viitorul' (Moldova) published Social Protection and Social Inclusion in Moldova, by Olesea Cruc, Onorica Banciu, Iurie Brinister, Maria Vremis, Viorica Craievschi-Toarta, and Alexandru Sinchetru, in late 2009. The book focuses on how public policies have affected Moldovans, especially minorities, while describ[ing] the development of macroeconomic, fiscal, demographic, labour market and education sectors and provid[ing] a thorough analysis of the social protection and social welfare system, poverty, and pension and healthcare systems. These findings are crucial in Europes poorest country, which has been hit hard since the collapse of the Soviet Union, and show that Moldovas economy has slowly begun to recover, mostly due to remittances.

Viitorul, with support from the United Nations, also hosted a roundtable discussion as part of its initiative on Community Monitoring of the Crisis at Local Level. The discussion, held on February 24, 2010, covered the initiatives first findings on the implications of the economic crisis. The initiative hopes to bring together leading minds to develop a monitoring system that will serve as an early warning for the sectors of society that are most likely to be affected by impending crises. Information will be provided to the government so it can adequately warn the public and avert problems with preventative measures. Photos and a message board on which democracy scholars can comment about the event are available here.

Jacek Kucharczyk, president of the Institute of Public Affairs (ISP, Poland) co-authored a February 15, 2010, Policy Brief published by the Policy Association for an Open Society (PASOS) on A New Beginning? Democracy Support in EU External Relations under the Lisbon Treaty with Ekaterina Bogdanova, Carlos Hernandez, and Jeff Lovitt. The Brief discusses how democracy promotion will be increased under the revamped foreign relations framework elaborated in the Lisbon Treaty. In particular, the Council Conclusions on Democracy Support in the EUs External Relations are a set of provisions examined in the Brief that will unite various democracy promoting agencies that were previously separated by bureaucratic barriers. The authors offer ten policy recommendations, including the inclusion of a wider range of actors in the decision-making process and the reinforcement of staff striving for the democratic agenda.

In February 2010, the Romanian Academic Society (SAR) published its Annual Policy and Forecast Report for 2010: The End of the Crisis, the Greek Model and the Real Reform Agenda, edited by Lucian Albu, Suzana Dobre, Sorin Ionita, Ana-Otilia Nutu, and Alina Mungiu Pippidi. The editors of this years Report focus on three reforms to ensure Romania does not follow Greeces path to economic crisis: state reform, including transparency among parties and the reestablishment of simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections to avoid extended electoral campaigns; pension reform to discourage early retirement, extend contributions, and equalize retirement ages for men and women; and energy reform to encourage private investment and to base prices and tariffs on economic realities and market liberalization.

The Center for LiberalDemocratic Studies (CLDS, Serbia) published a January 2010 book on the Impact of the Financial Crisis on the Labor Market and Living Conditions Outcomes by Gordana Matkovic, Boko Mijatovic, and Marina Petrovic. The authors find that despite a significant blow dealt by the economic recession, Serbias economy was able to remain stable and avoid complete collapse. It examines the period from 2005 until the beginning of the crisis and finds that the country had been improving markedly before the economic downturn. The worst of the damage was avoided due to Serbias economic independence, but the authors warn that the government must implement a better framework for future crisis intervention.

Olga Gyrfov and Zora Btorov of the Institute for Public Affairs (IVO, Slovakia) wrote a Policy Brief on Return to Europe: New Freedoms Embraced, but Weak Public Support for Assisting Democracy Further Afield that was published by PASOS in December 2009. The Brief examines how, despite the fact that a majority of citizens in three of the four Visegrad countries recognize more advantages and opportunities in democracies today than under the pre-1989 dictatorial regimes, they are reticent to support democracy promotion to their Eastern neighbors. The authors attended a conference hosted by PASOS on December 10, 2009, to announce the findings of their study that gathered the sentiment of those living in the Visegrad countries 20 years after the emergence of democracy. A conference report is also available here.

La Fundacin para las Relaciones Internacionales y el Dilogo Exterior (FRIDE, Spain) published three Policy Briefs in January 2010. The first, Post-Orange Ukraine: The Lesser Evil?, by Balzs Jarbik and Natalia Shapovalova, analyzes the second round of presidential elections in Ukraine in February 2010 and concludes that Ukraine will maintain its democratic credentials and continue to hold fiercely competitive elections. The authors also examine the growing tension between the EU and Ukraine, with the EU losing patience with Ukraines perceived lack of democratic control and Ukraine tiring of the EUs failure to grant membership.

Spains Diminished Policy in the Mediterranean, by Kristina Kausch, traces Spains diminishing role as a leader in the Mediterranean region. Spains lack of a strong stance on upholding democratic traditions and human rights and the Zapatero administrations ineffective attempt to build strong cultural ties through dialogue between the West and the Middle East in the form of its dialogue forum have contributed to this shift. The author urges the Spanish government to strive for Turkish admittance to the EU, increased economic integration around the Mediterranean, and an examination of immigration policies in order to effectively bring the EU and the Mediterranean region to a position of a more mutually beneficial relationship.

Finally, Sofia Sebastins Policy Brief on Spanish Foreign Policy in the Balkans: Wasted Potential details Spanish foreign policy in the Balkansa region where Spain has historically had a limited role. The interest in stability in the region began in the early 1990s in line with the international communitys intervention, yet the relationship has been primarily monetary in the form of military assistance. It is predicted that upon Spains withdrawal from the region, little reminder will remain of its current presence. The author argues that Spain has a traditional sphere of influence in the international arena and has little motivation to move beyond that sphere in shaping new policies.

The Quality of Government Insititute (QoG, Sweden) added several Working Papers to its website since the last issue of Democracy Research News, including: A Deadly Mismatch? The Problem of HIV/AIDS in Research and Policy (March 2010) by Anna Persson and Martin Sjstedt; Quality of Government, Political Power and the Welfare State (March 2010) by Bo Rothstein, Marcus Samanni, and Jan Teorell; Informed Electoral Accountability and the Welfare State: A Conceptual Reorientation with Experimental and Real-World Findings (March 2010) by Staffan Kumlin; Dissatisfied Democrats, Policy Feedback, and European Welfare States, 19762001 (March 2010) by Staffan Kumlin; Quality of Government is Needed to Reduce Poverty and Economic Inequality (March 2010) by Sren Holmberg and Bo Rothstein; Quality of Government Makes People Happy (March 2010) by Marcus Samanni and Sren Holmberg; and Comparing Media Systems in Europe: Identifying Comparable Country-Level Dimensions of Media Systems (March 2010) by Mathias A. Frdigh.

A full list of QoGs Working Papers is available under the Working Papers section here.

The European Stability Initiative (ESI, Turkey) released its March 2010 newsletter that focuses on Turkeys Friends and the International Debate on the Armenian Genocide. The newsletter explores stances on the Armenian genocide, which Turkey expends vast resources to deny despite recent condemnations by the United States and European countries. It argues that Turkeys democratic image would be fortified by an open examination of the issue.

ESI also released a December 2009 newsletter on Ergenekon and the Secret History of TurkeyWho Is Who in the Russian Caucasus Debate that details the secret actions undertaken by members of the Turkish armed forces to terrify, frame and even assassinate innocent civilians, Christians or Muslim students, and undermine the elected government. Two documents recently emerged that unveiled these deplorable actions and explained that, as late as in 2009, plans were being drawn to assassinate and intimidate minority rights defenders and to launch wide-scale violence in minority areas. Various articles playing a role in the development of these events and the international response are included in the newsletter.

The Centre for the Study of Public Policy (CSPP, United Kingdom) published an article by Leonardo Morlino on Qualities of Democracy: How to Analyze Them as part of its Studies in Public Policy that asks What is the best analytic strategy for identifying democratic quality in various countries? The author concludes that in trying to do so, one must determine a definition of quality in terms of procedure, content and result and continues on to examine successful democratic qualities as well as recurrent patterns of the undermining of democratic qualities before arriving at a final assessment of any given country. Ordering information is available here.

The Human Rights Centre (United Kingdom) co-hosted with the University of Liverpool the 2010 Eleanor Rathbone Public Lecture Series on Democracy, Citizenship and Social Justice. Three lectures took place, including What are MPs For? presented by Dr. Tony Wright, Every Voter Counts: Completing the Journey to Democratic Equality by Jenny Watson, and Why Do Prisoners Have Rights? The Lessons of Our History by Baroness Vivien Stern. A full description of the lecture series can be found here.

Latin America

The Center for the Implementation of Public Policies Promoting Equity and Growth (CIPPEC, Argentina) supported the publication of a report entitled Educacin y Desarrollo Rural. Resultados de la Encuesta 20082009. Relevamiento de Experiencias Educativas (Rural Education and Development: Results of the Survey 20082009: Survey of Educational Experiences) in cooperation with Red Comunidades Rurales (Network of Rural Communities). The survey finds that over 1.5 million Argentines live in extreme poverty and highlights the reasons that higher numbers of children live without access to education in rural communities. The authors also examine how educational techniques vary among distinct sectors of the population. For example, many of the rural communities in Patagonia retain distinctive cultural norms that affect learning processes. Funding and adequately trained educators also remain barriers to the advancement of the educational system in Argentina and beyond.

The Center for Opening and Development in Latin America (CADAL, Argentina) released more than twenty articles on its website that will be of interest to democracy scholars since the last issue of Democracy Research News. The most recent of these is Aqu No Ha Pasado Nada (Here, Nothing Has Happened) by Adrin Lucardi in March 2010. The article emphasizes "the complete lack of respect that the government has had toward the mandate that the people issued during the legislative elections in June 2009." Instead of viewing the overwhelming votes against the presidents party as a sign of voters discontent, the government continued pushing its policies with little regard to the will of the people. The author concludes that there is little hope for a major change in policy until the presidential elections of 2011.

CADAL also released an article on Cuba: Ya Es Hora de Enterrar el Mito Para Lula y el Resto de la Izquierda Regional (Cuba: Its Time to Bury the Myth for Lula and the Rest of the Regional Left) by Pablo Daz de Brito in February 2010. The article calls for Latin-American leaders to take a firm stance on Cuba instead of maintaining support for a regime that continues to repress dissention and freedom. Numerous left-leaning leaders still visit Cuba and the Castros and praise them. These same leaders, however, have already realized that the Cuban road to socialism does not work and have implemented very different systems in their own countries, so it is time for them to publicly call for democracy in Cuba.

In January 2010, CADAL published El Mandato Democrtico-Autoritario del Populismo Contemporneo (The Democratic-Authoritarian of Contemporary Populism) by Hctor Ricardo Leis, in which the author argues that after over a century of non-democratic regimes, democracy has established itself as the only viable mode of government in the region. However, the author warns of the threat of populism within a democratic framework that can significantly deteriorate the state of democracy in a given country. Mr. Leis asserts that the rule of law must extend to all sectors of society, including the political class, in order to avoid the concentration of power and ensure the longevity of real democracy.

Other relevant articles released by CADAL include: Argentina Sufre la Poltica Exterior K (Argentina Suffers from the Foreign Policy K) by Pablo Daz de Brito in March 2010; Tan Cerca y Tan Lejos del Uruguay (So Close and So Far from Uruguay) by Gabriel C. Salvia in March 2010; La Inflacin Mata las ltimas Esperanzas K (Inflation Kills the Last Hopes K by Pablo Daz de Brito in February 2010; and Uruguay: Mejor que lo Malo, Lejos de lo Ideal (Uruguay: Better than Bad, Far from Ideal) by Nelson Fernndez Salvidio in February 2010. These articles, along with all of CADALs other articles, can be found here.

Finally, CADAL held the Latin American Forum in Buenos Aires on February 25, 2010. The Forum was launched with the presentation of a report entitled Democracia, Mercado, y Transparencia 2009 (Democracy, Market, and Transparency 2009) that was included in the January 2010 Democracy Research News. Various experts spoke at the forum including: Ricardo Lpez Gttig, historian and director of CADALs board; Darryl John Dunn, Ambassador of New Zealand; Tristn Rodrguez Loredo, economist, journalist, and director of the CADALs consultative board; and Horacio Reyser, director of CADALs business council. Important issues such as the legislative process, federal-provincial relations, and possible presidential candidates for 2011 were raised. Photos and a video of the event are also available on CADALs website.

The Instituto de Ciencia Poltica (ICP, Colombia) recently released two issues in its Bulletin Series, "Observatorio Legislativo" (Legislative Observatory). The February 2010 Bulletin on Derecho a Salud (Right to Health) covers the recent crisis regarding universal healthcare in Colombia and the push in the Senate to counter these problems and ensure adequate health coverage, especially for those who need it most. Although the government decreed universal coverage in 1993, insufficient funding, high costs, and corruption have led to many Colombians being turned away from basic health services. The January 2010 Bulletin on Estatuto de Juventud (Statute of Youth) explains the legislative project that will establish clear standards for young people to be included in the democratic process by establishing an advisory board consisting of young people who will make recommendations. A chart depicting the other countries in Latin America with institutions developed for youth integration and participation is also included.

ICP also conducted a workshop on Catalizadores para el Cambio Democrtico en las Amricas (Catalysts for Democratic Change in the Americas) on February 2527, 2010, that was sponsored by the OAS. The leaders of more than 20 civil society organizations attended the event that focused on the tenets of the Inter-American Democratic Charter and how civil society can work to secure these democratic rights and support the OAS in its mission. Additionally, ICP hosted a debate on La Emergencia Social: Hacia un Mejor Sistema de Salud? (The Social Emergency: Toward a Better Healthcare System?) on February 24, 2010, along with Fedesarrollo and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. Panelists included: Diego Palacio, Minister of Social Protection; Mauricio Santa Mara, deputy director of Fedesarrollo; Guillermo Perry, associate investigator at Fedesarrollo; and Marcela Prieto, executive director of ICP. Six presentations from the event, including the presentation of the Ministry of Social Protection, are available here.

The State of the Nation Program (Programa Estado de la Nacion, Costa Rica) published its yearly flagship publication entitled Dcimoquinto Informe sobre el Estado de la Nacin (15th State of the Nation Report) on November 3, 2009. The Report focuses on how the international economic crisis has affected Costa Rica as well as accountability and national development in general. Support for democracy remains high in Costa Rica compared to other countries in the region, but has leveled somewhat due to the crisis. Also, the Report finds that the ecological footprint of Costa Rica is expanding beyond its means which could have devastating effects on the country in the future. A testament to the fortitude and reach of the annual report, the Program announced that a full third of interviewees had previous knowledge of the report. The index, from which democracy scholars can navigate the report, is available here in Spanish.

Grupo Faro (Ecuador) began a new report series entitled Reverdeciendo Polticas Pblicas (Making Public Policy Green Again). The first report in the series, Hacia una Movilidad Sustentable en Quito: El Potencial de la Bicicleta como Medio de Transporte Alternativo (Creating Sustainable Mobility in Quito: The Potential of the Bicycle as an Alternative Mode of Transportation), by Marco Robles, was released in February 2010. With mounting problems resulting from the increasingly gridlocked transportation situation in Quito, Grupo Faros report offers suggestions to alleviate the issue. The report examines the context of global transportation and the current situation in Quito, as well as the city's annual bicycle race and its effects on the mentality of the citizens. The author urges the city to enhance its infrastructure to better accommodate the use of bicycles and calls for increased education of youth to use bicycles.

Grupo Faro also hosted its Primer Taller de Fortalecimiento Local y Seguimiento al Plan Decenal de Educacin (First Workshop on Local Strengthening and Tracking the 10-year Education Plan) on March 2, 2010. More than 30 actors critical to educational development in Ecuador were present for the event including: members of the Municipal Councils of Cayambe and Pedro Moncayo; the Councils for Childhood and Adolescence; and the technical team of CARE-Cayambes project entitled Educiudadana.

Finally, Grupo Faro, with the help of the Plataforma de Responsabilidad Social (Platform for Social Responsibility), held its Foro sobre Transparencia en los Contratos del Sector Extractivo (Forum on Transparency in Contracts in the Extractive Sector) on February 25, 2010. Over 80 officials, public employees, scholars, and civil society members gathered at the Forum, at which the results of the study on Contratos Confidenciales: Poner Fin a los Tratos Secretos de las Industrias Extractivas (Confidential Contracts: Putting an End to the Secret Deals of Extractive Industries) were presented. Topics such as how transparency will be increased if contracts are made public and how to determine what content qualifies a contract to be made public were covered by the presenters.

The Centro de Investigacin y Docencia Econmicas, A.C. (CIDE, Mexico) recently published La Rendicin de Cuentas y el Poder Legislativo (Accountability and Legislative Power) by Mara Amparo Casar, Ignacio Marvn, and Khemvirg Puente. The article diagnoses the system of accountability that currently exists in Mexico in all of the branches of government. The authors address how the legislature has adamantly pushed for accountability in the executive and judicial branches but resists attempts to submit itself to accountable practices.

Secondly, Identificando Beneficiarios de Programas Gubernamentales Examinando Criterios de Focalizacin con Anlisis de Componentes Principales (Identifying Beneficiaries of Governmental Programs: Examining Focalized Criteria by Analyzing Principal Components), by Sergio Crdenas, Ignacio Lozano, Miguel Torres, and Katasumi Yamaguchi, examines the way that the government identifies the beneficiaries of its program Fondo para el Apoyo a Proyectos Productivos en Ncleos Agrarios (FAPPA) (Fund for the Support of Productive Projects in Agrarian Groups) that is funded by the Department of Agrarian Reform. It is found that the identification procedures are not efficient enough in choosing beneficiaries, resulting in waste of public resources in many cases. These and all other articles published by CIDE can be found on its virtual bookstore along with purchasing information.

FUNDAR (Mexico) published a book entitled Cinco Miradas sobre el Derecho a la Salud: Estudios de Caso en Mxico, El Salvador y Nicaragua (Five Looks at the Right to Health?: Case Studies of Mexico, El Salvador, and Nicaragua) by Mariana Prez in February 2010. The author notes that in the third wave of democratization, new rights have emerged, such as economic, social, and cultural rights, previously available only to the elite. However, for various reasons, although most states have signed international agreements acknowledging these rights, especially the right to healthcare, many still lack the motivation or finances to carry through in providing the rights. The book compiles the results of the study begun by FUNDAR in 2005 to measure how Mexico and Central America have advanced and in which aspects the governments must continue to make an effort.

FUNDAR also published an August 2009 report on Los Organismos Pblicos de Derechos Humanos en Mxico: Nuevas Instituciones, Viejas Prcticas (The Public Organisms of Human Rights in Mexico: New Institutions, Old Practices) by Ccile Lachenal, Juan Carlos Martnez, and Miguel Moguel. The report discusses the National Commission of Human Rights (CNDH) and the basic problems stemming from the lack of oversight in the system. The CNDH itself decides what constitutes a human right and when violations have occurred. FUNDAR advocates in the report for a more democratic process in choosing the Commission's leaders. Currently, the organization withholds discretion on the election of all employees, except the president, who is chosen by the Senate.

Finally, FUNDAR co-hosted Discussion and Analysis Tables on March 9, 2010, on Riesgos y Desafos de la Transparencia (Risks and Challenges of Transparency). The event was carried out with the assistance of the Instituto de Acceso a la Informacin Pblica del Distrito Federal (InfoDF) (Institute of Access to Public Information of the Federal District), el Colectivo por la Transparencia (the Collective for Transparency), and la Comisin Mexicana de Acceso a la Informacin Pblica (the Commission of Access to Public Information). Miguel Pulido, FUNDARs Deputy Director, spoke about the importance of transparency for the development of democracy, and other specialists described the need for access to information. Discussions were held on the challenges facing the defense of transparency and accountability.

Middle East

The Ibn Khaldun Center for Development Studies (ICDS, Egypt) published the December 2009 Civil Society that includes various articles on smear campaign tactics, Syria, and civil society. The Art of Smearing Names, by Hassan Elsawaf, explains the situation of Mohamad ElBaradei, who was praised by the Egyptian press until he decided to run as an opposition candidate and is now a victim of a smear campaign orchestrated by the government-controlled media. The Syrian Reawaking: Islam and Mobilization, by Amira Mohsen, serves as a brief introduction to Islamism in Syriaa country where Islamism has been relatively understudied compared to other countries in the region. The article finds that Islam has been greatly consolidated in Syria since the 1980s. Other articles include Civil Society and Literature: The Shabab Literary Movement by Walter Scott Chahanovich and A Plan Without a City for a City Without a Plan by Mohammed Rafi Arefin. The newsletter ends with country reports detailing the situation of democracy and civil society for most countries in the MENA region.

The Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) recently released two issues of its Terrorism and Democracy newsletter. The February 2010 issue includes three articles by Ido Rosenzweig and Yuval Shany that will be of interest to democracy scholars. The first, HCJ Rejects Petition against the Route of the Separation Barrier[HCJ 3937/07] discusses the barrier that is planned to be constructed in the town of Beit Sahour, located in the West Bank near East Jerusalem. The judiciary concluded that the route is acceptable due to the security concerns of the military. The additional two articles are: HCJ Rejects a Petition to Renew the Entrance Permits of Families of Detainees Held in Israel from the Gaza Strip[HCJ 5268/08] and Israels Cast Lead Operation InvestigationAn Update. The January 2010 issue also features articles by Ido Rosenzweig and Yuval Shany. These articles include: State Ordered to Renew Palestinian Access to Route 443, District Court Approves Serving Civil Claims to Terrorists CA [Civil Appeal] 3426/09, Who is Responsible for Damages to Civilians Caused by Vigilante Reprisals in the Aftermath of Terror Attacks? CA [Civil Appeal] (Jerusalem District Court) 3298/09, and Palestinian Terrorism in 2009: Report by the Israel Security Agency [30.12.2009].

The Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) published its Palestinian Public Opinion Poll Number 35 in March 2010. The poll, conducted by PSR on March 46, 2010, finds that most Palestinians support local elections in the West Bank and will participate in those electionseven if Hamas boycotts them, but it also points to a widespread belief that deep corruption exists within the Palestinian government. Only 11 percent of respondents say that conditions are good or very good in the Gaza Strip, while over 70 percent report bad or very bad conditions.

The Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) published a new Policy Report in its Democratization Program Policy Report Series on Security Sector Policy Report 1: The Security Sector in Turkey: Questions, Problems and Solutions by Hale Akay in February 2010. The security sector in Turkey has maintained a relatively autonomous existence, which has led to many of the expected problems when armed forces have little oversight. The report examines these problems and the changes that have been implemented since reform began in the 2000s. Although many of the top positions of the National Security Council (NSC) have been taken over by civilians, news stories on some personnel appointments indicate that the military retains its strong hold over internal security matterspointing to a probable continuation of many problems.

The Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID, United States) published the February 2010 Democracy Watch. The issues seven editorials present country case studies of the state of independence of Arab judiciary systems. They are preceded by an article by Slaheddine Jourchi on The Judiciary in the Arab World: A Struggle for Independence that explains the situation of judicial systems in the region, which tend to be under the control of other arms of the government, and stresses that independent judiciary repudiates tyranny. These articles include: Tunisia: Tunisian Judiciary between Calls for Reform and the Absence of Political Will by Lotfi Hajji; Syria: Concerning the Independence of Syrian Judiciary by Bahia Mardini; Sudan: The Judiciary Gets Muddy in Darfur by Ahmad Khogali; Palestine: the Palestinian Judiciary Incomplete Powers under the Control of the Executive Authority by Ghassan Nimr; Mauritania: The Judiciary Actively Seeks to Reform Itself from a Heavy Legacy; Morocco: Judicial Reform between Democratization and Comprehensive Development by Jamal Bendahmane; and Egyptian Judiciary: Unstoppable Inclination toward Independence by Hamdy Abdel Aziz.

The October 2009 Democracy Watch contains seven articles on elections across the region and is introduced by an editors note on Elections in the Arab World by Slah Jourchi. The current situation witnesses increased participation among the populaces, but that often leads to the election of officials undesirable to the advancement of democracy. The other articles include: Gulf Parliaments: Spit in the Eye of Democracy by Abdel Wahab Al Areed; Municipal Elections in Morocco: the Ideal Approach to Democracy by Jamal Bendahmane; Egypts Elections: Strong Democracy vs. Formal Democracy by Hamdy Abdel Aziz; Problems of Elections in Syria by Bahia Mardini; Sudan: Will the Government Win the Elections Before They Take Place? by Ahmed Omar Khogly; Tunisia: The Search for the Lost Bet and the Participant Public by Lotfi Hajji; and Forthcoming Palestinian Elections: Divisions and Obstacles by Dr. Ghassan Nemr. All other issues of CSIDs newsletter are available here.

Russia and the Former Soviet Union

The Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies (BISS) published a March 2010 book on Social Contracts in Contemporary Belarus that was edited by Kiryl Haiduk, Elena Rakova, and Vitali Silitski. The book examines the nearly inexplicable stability that has been maintained by the Belarusian state and among the society despite [the] substantial limitations on economic freedom and civil liberties that have been imposed. The contributors question if basic rights will be restored or will continue to be eroded as the state continues to grow economically and politically, even without the support of the society. The full book is available in PDF format here.

Secondly, BISS released a December 2009 article on EUBelarus Relations Under the Sign of Lisbon: What Is to Be Expected from Lisbon Treaty Coming into Action? by Eugene Preigherman. As the EU moves forward under the provisions of the Treaty of Lisbon, Belarus watches intently to see how policy toward the EUs Eastern neighbors will be transformed. One of the main conclusions is that it will become more difficult for both the government and civil society to lobby for their interests as the EU delegations switch to a rotational chairmanship. It remains unclear how far the EU will take integration, but most foreign policy matters will remain under the jurisdiction of the individual states.

BISS also presents the first issue of BISS Trends, a quarterly newsletter of political, economic, and social developments in Belarus. The OctoberDecember 2009 issue is introduced by a letter from the Chairman of the Board, Pavel Daneyko, in which the goal of the newsletter is outlined; it hopes to understand in which direction Belarus is moving and where the country will stand in the future. The newsletter focuses on five trends in order to do this: political democratization and liberalization, economic liberalization, quality of governance and rule of law, geopolitical orientation, and cultural policy. The issue discusses the development of these five trends in the last quarter of 2009.

BISS hosted its Third Annual Conference with the support of the European Commission Delegation in Belarus, the European Union Institute for Security Studies, and the Belarus Country Office of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. The Conference, entitled Belaruss Path in Europe, was held for the first time in Minsk on February 910, 2010. The Conference aimed to navigate the countrys path towards the European political, economic and cultural space; and to establish the European path of development a matter of national consensus for Belarus. Five panels were held over the course of the two day event centered on the discussion theme of Belarus and the European Union in the Changing Regional and Global Context. The panels included: The Political and Security Context: Belarus and the EU in a Changing Regional and Global Environment, Energy Relations: Perspectives for Belarus, The Economic Context: Belarus and the EU, and the Global Economic Crisis, Belarusian Society: Domestic Factors of European Integration, and Ways Ahead: The Eastern Partnership as a Window of Opportunity for Belarus. In BISSs concluding summary, Belaruss position in Europe is brought into context after the intense debates on the subject during the Conference. They find that Belaruss future depends as much on the choices of external players as it does on internal development. A full list of information about the Conference and each panel can be found here.

The Caucasus Institute for Peace, Democracy, and Development (CIPDD, Georgia) recently released three Policy Reviews. The first, The EUs Eastern Partnership: Civil Society Expectations and New Opportunities, by Tamara Pataraia, was published in February 2010. The Policy Review examines the implications of the Eastern Partnership, established in May 2009 to facilitate cooperation between the EU and six former Soviet satellite statesArmenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus. The author calls on Georgian civil society to strive to assist the state in passing reforms that will take it closer to eventual integration into the EU. An event was held on January 28, 2010, to discuss how civil society can help pass reforms. An agenda, photos of the event, and an audio recording in Georgian are available here.

The second, by Ghia Nodia, Pending Normalization of Turkish-Armenian Relations: Implications for Georgia was released in January 2010. The piece draws three main points of concern stemming from the agreement that was signed by the Turkish and Armenian foreign ministers in October 2009. The agreement, which was the first step in the normalization of relations between the two countries, contains possible dangers for the Georgian state, including a decreased flow of capital and people through Georgia, a lessening in the dependence on Georgia by the Armenian government, and the threat of Turkey and Russia dominating power in the regiona turn of events that could erode Georgian sovereignty. Ghia Nodia spoke at an event on the subject hosted by CIPDD on January 20, 2010, and questioned whether the Georgian government [can] influence the process of normalization. Photos and the events agenda are posted here.

A final Policy Review on Shida Kartli after the August 2008 War: Challenges and Solutions, by Erekle Urushadze, was made available to the public in December 2009. The author details the significant decline in the situation in the Shida Kartli region, where most of the fighting in 2008 war occurred. The Georgian government must uphold the rights of the citizens living in the region and provide adequate security and opportunities for economic development. Violent conflict continues, and the lack of a clearly defined border in the area remains a challenge to the return to normalcy. A Roundtable Discussion was held on January 27, 2010, to evaluate how to move forward and address the situation. An agenda, photos, and audio recordings in Georgian can be found here.

The Carnegie Moscow Center (Russia) published a February 2010 book on Nuclear Proliferation: New Technologies, Weapons, Treaties edited by Alexei Arbatov and Vladimir Dvorkin. The book was developed under the auspices of the Centers Nonproliferation Project. The book avoids the commonly discussed aspects of nonproliferation, such as the threat of terrorism and the expansion of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and focus[es] instead on significant and complex processes and developments that have intruded upon the nuclear nonproliferation issue and have an ever-growing impact on the prospects for being able to end the horizontal escalation of the nuclear arms race. Various topics, including the expansion of nuclear energy and missile defense systems, are examined in order to understand the context of non-proliferation in Russia and the world.

The Centers Director, Dmitri Trenin, wrote a March 2010 Report published by The Century Foundation on Russias Policy in the Middle East: Prospects for Consensus and Conflict with the United States. The Report draws attention to the rising importance of regions outside of the sphere of interest on which Russia had been focused and reveals that in a radical departure from the Soviet days, Russia [now] keeps the lines of communication open with all important actors in the region. With the United States so entrenched in the region, the Report offers vital information and insight into the relationship that the two countries will have as their foreign policies continue to both clash and mingle in the region.

Additionally, a Working Paper by Henry Hale, Nikolay Petrov, and Maria Lipman on Overmanaged Democracy in Russia: Governance Implications of Hybrid Regimes was published in February 2010. The Paper questions if autocratic governments that incorporate elements of democracy [can] provide good governance. They call the current political situation in Russia overmanaged democracy, because it does not include the overly repressive aspects of authoritarianism, but it manages to debilitate democratic institutions enough to elude most public participation in decision-making or policy creation. The authors are not hopeful for the long-term continuance of such a system and foresee that its demise will be associated with the exit of the strong-handed leaders that have risen to power during the course of the past decade.

The SeptemberDecember 2009 edition of the Centers journal, Pro et Contra, focuses on a central theme: The Crisis as a Point of Departure. The issue counts on nine articles written by leading scholars of democracy in Russia. They examine the problems revealed by the economic crisis in Russias political system and how the state was able to avoid ceding any major reforms in the wake of such strains. Articles, in Russian, that will be of interest include: Overmanaged Democracy: The Tandem and the Crisis by Nikolay Petrov; Debtor Civilization: Challenge and Response by Alexander Kustarev; The Lost Opportunity for a Revolution of Values by Andrei Ryabov; and Democracy-2010: The Past and Future of Pluralism in Russia by Kirill Rogov.

The International Centre for Policy Studies (ICPS, Ukraine) published an extensive report in March 2010 by Sacha Tessier-Stall and Olga Shumylo on A New Foreign Policy for Ukraine: Four Strategic Priorities. The report examines how Ukraine finds itself in a very different global context today with the rise of new global powers and the recession affecting the traditional Western powers. Ukraine must focus on regaining credibility, restoring key partnerships, preserving sovereignty and independence, [and] becoming a more active and constructive regional player in order to prosper in a changing global political climate. They call on the president to maintain these priorities at the top of his list.

ICPS and the Institute of World Policy released a March 2010 report on A New Foreign Policy for Ukraine: Expert Perspectives by Aliona Hetmanchuk, Mykhailo Honchar, Volodymyr Kravchenko, Oleksandr Lytvynenko, Oleksandr Shcherba, Serhyi Solodkyi, Tetiana Sylina, Sacha Tessier-Stall, Viktor Zamiatin, Kateryna Zarembo, and Varvara Zhluktenko. The Report, supported by USAID, offers direction for the presidents future foreign policy. The authors declare that the president must focus on foreign and defense policyhis true constitutional mandatesinstead of trying to discover a panacea for economic and social problems. With Russia playing a more assertive role in the region, the president must be able to work efficiently with Moscow and defend Ukrainian values and interests.

The February 25, 2010, addition to the European Focus paper series on Integration from Above: Why Fly the EUs Open Skies, by Kateryna Zarembo, examines the advantages of visa-free travel for Ukrainians in and out of the EU zone and details how travel is restrictive due to the high costs of airfare from Ukrainian airports. The benefits of inclusion in the European Common Aviation Area would be increased safety and higher standards for airlines. Ms. Zarembo feels that inclusion in the ECAA will also signal that democratic principle rules in Ukraine, as it puts the interests of consumers higher than the interests of business. A table evaluating the pros and cons for Ukrainians is included in the paper.

ICPS released two issues of Inside Ukraine, the Centres new monthly current events publication. The February 2010 issue on Yanukovych Uncovered details the president-elect of Ukraine, who won the second round of elections in February. A table with seven topics, including fighting corruption, democracy promotion, and constitutional reform, on which Ukrainians will be able to judge the new president is laid out. In the January 2010 issue on Ukraine Is an Electoral Democracy! Now What?, the pessimism felt about the elections among Ukrainians is examined. Despite the fact that nearly 85% of voters felt disenchanted with those in office and close to 60% had little faith that this election would bring positive change, a good two thirds, 67%, went to the polls to elect the president.

Three recent issues of ICPS News, the Centres weekly newsletter, will be of interest to democracy scholars. The March 10, 2010, issue on Ukraines Foreign Policy: Time for a Re-think searches for the most plausible ways to move forward in the foreign policy realm and reiterates the four key priorities mentioned above. The February 23, 2010, issue on One Sickness, Many Cures: Spains Anti-crisis Prescription examines how the global economic crisis has affected Spain and compares Spains situation to that of Ukraine. The Spanish anti-crisis strategy is much more developed than Ukraines, and ICPS hopes that Ukraine will develop a comparable strategy. The issue entitled ICPS Milestones for 2009, released on January 11, 2010, highlights the initiatives that ICPS began in 2009, including new and updated publications, and examines the progress made in its democratization and good governance, energy, social economy, EU-Ukraine association agreement, and foreign aid programs. A full archive of the weekly newsletter can be found here.

The Democratic Initiatives Foundation (DIF, Ukraine) published a detailed PowerPoint Presentation on the National Exit-Poll 2010: Results of the First Round of Presidential Elections that were held on January 17, 2010. The exit poll reported that Viktor Yanukovych received 31.8 percent while Yulia Tymoshenko earned 27.2 percent of the initial vote. Detailed charts breaking down the vote according to gender, age, education level are included along with depictions of the increased use of social media on the day of the election. Also, DIF posted the Verified Results of the National Exit Poll 2010 from the Second Round of the Presidential Elections in Ukraine on February 7, 2010. They found that Viktor Yanukovych gleaned 48.5 percent of the vote with Yulia Tymoshenko earning 45.7 percent.

United States and Canada

The Applied Research Center at IFES (ARC, United States) published a March 2010 Research Article on A Conflict Cycle Perspective on Electoral Violence by Gabrielle Bardall. The piece examines violence that occurs leading up to and during election periodsbut does so from the viewpoint of the development community, which can play a major role and is a stakeholder in violence-free elections. The author notes that the ability of an electoral process to achieve its democratic development objectives relies on the political actors, government agencies and security bodies, civic and media groups and national purveyors of justice to uphold their roles in the process. IFES holds violence mitigation as one of its key priorities and has undertaken research studies in more than a dozen countries to aid in its mission.

Additionally, IFES published a November 2009 Charles and Kathleen Manatt Democracy Studies Fellowship Paper on Electoral Governance in Sub-Saharan Africa: Assessing the Impact of Electoral Management Bodies Autonomy and Capacity on Citizens Perceptions of Election Quality by Nicolas N. Kerr. The Paper examines electoral management bodies (EMBs) and their influence on affecting the quality of elections. The author pulls data from Afrobarometers analyses and conducts a case study in Nigeria to conclude that voters are more likely to regard elections as being free and fair when 1) they have confidence in the EMB; and, 2) the EMB displays high levels of autonomy and capacity. Quantitative charts of election results and citizens perceptions are included to support these conclusions.

Finally, IFES issued a Press Release on February 18, 2010, on International NGO Releases Survey Findings on Womens Political Standing in Lebanon. The Press Release announces the publication of the The Status of Women in the Middle East and North Africa (SWMENA) Projects Topic Brief on Focus on Lebanon: Social Attitudes Toward Women. The Brief includes the findings of the extensive survey that polled both men and women on issues affecting women in politics and womens rights. The results find that slightly more women than men believe that they can play a role in influencing the governments agenda by voting, deem women as adequate candidates for political positions, and support women, including their daughters, in obtaining more meaningful employment.

The Center for Democracy and Civil Society (CDACS, United States) released the Winter 2010 Democracy and Society, with a special focus on Foreign Policy in the Obama Administration and includes a message from the Centers Director, Barak Hoffman, on the topic. Other articles in the issue include Promoting Democracy in Egypt by Dina Guirguis, The United States and Mexico: Prospects for Convergence on Critical Issues During the Obama Administration by Brandon Valeriano, and What Is the Future for Democracy Promotion? by Jack Santucci. These articles are followed by a number of reviews on recent books about foreign policy and democracy promotion.

The Center for the Study of Democracy (United States) hosted a conference on Modeling Conflict and Its Governance on February 1214, 2010. The conference, co-sponsored by the Institute for Mathematical Behavioral Sciences at the University of California, Irvine, included numerous discussions and paper presentations on topics such as: International Trade and Transnational Insecurity: How Comparative Advantage and Power are Jointly Determined by Constantinos Syropoulos; The Optimal Defense of Networks of Targets by Dan Kovenock; and Peace and War with Endogenous State Capacity by Michael McBride. Links to these and a number of other papers that were presented are available in the agenda that can be found here.

The Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law (CDDRL, United States) held numerous events since the last issue of Democracy Research News, including Legalizing Human Rights in Africa: Workshop #4 featuring Helen Stacy and Steven Robins on March 4, 2010; a March 3, 2010, panel discussion on Taiwans Participation in the International Community under President Ma featuring Dan Blumenthal, Kao-cheng Wang, Suisheng Zhao, and Larry Diamond; The Recent Subtraction and Prospects of Addition in Democracy in Russia: Can They at Last Get Right What We All First Got Wrong, featuring Jeremy Kinsman on February 24, 2010; Daniel Markovits presentation on Toleration and Politics on February 19, 2010; a February 17, 2010, presentation on Exploring the Missing Link Between Liberalization and Democratization in the Middle East featuring Philippe C. Schmitter and Sean Yom; Firoze Manjis February 17, 2010, presentation on The Challenges of Using New Media to Support Social Justice Movements in Africa; and Typological Analysis of Democratic Legitimacy: The Asian Cases on February 1, 2010, featuring Min-hua Huang.

The International Forum for Democratic Studiess (United States) Journal of Democracy published its 20th anniversary issue in January 2010. Nine essays by top scholars such as Robert Putnam, Francis Fukuyama, Philippe C. Schmitter, Guillermo ODonnell, and others, as well as Journal editors Marc F. Plattner and Larry Diamond, were included on the theme Democracys Past and Future, while a shorter set of articles written by seven leading analysts draws out the lessons of Twenty Years of Postcommunism. Full text of selected articles is available here.

The International Forum is also pleased to announce its Spring 2010 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 Afghanistan, Australia, Guatemala, Pakistan, Russia, Tanzania, Turkmenistan, the United States, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe. A complete list of the 20092010 Fellows and their bios can be found online here.

Finally, the International Forum sponsored several luncheon events featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows. On February 23, 2010, Migai Akech presented on Corruption and Abuse of Power in Kenya: Will the Proposed New Constitution Enhance Government Accountability?, with comments by Joel Barkan. On February 18, 2010, Sangsoo Kim presented on The Voice of Freedom: Improving Radio Programs for the Citizens of North Korea, with comments by Nathaniel Kretchun and John Knaus. Peter Novotny gave a January 28, 2010, presentation on The Backlash Against Election Monitors: How the Profession Can Respond, with comments by Patrick Merloe. Finally, Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai presented on Breaking the Resource Curse: Freedom of Information in Sierra Leone, with comments by Sahr J. Kpundeh on January 20, 2010. More information about these events, including PowerPoint presentations and video recordings is available here.