June 1, 2020: Will governments use pandemic emergency orders to expand their powers indefinitely?
Two things — watchdogs and sunset provisions — help prevent governments from restricting rights indefinitely
Two things — watchdogs and sunset provisions — help prevent governments from restricting rights indefinitely
National governments should harness the power and ambition of their local leaders to help solve global challenges. The power of sub-national engagement has been underestimated. Read my op-ed in The Hill here.
If the City and State Diplomacy Act becomes law, the Office of Subnational Diplomacy it creates would give cities a formal role in U.S. international diplomacy. Read my article in CityLab here.
Lawmakers in historically strong democracies are proposing and passing legislation that adds new layers of red tape, restricts access to foreign financial support, and makes it harder and riskier to engage in peaceful protests. Read my piece in The Conversation about this spreading trend.
More and more laws imposing new restrictions on civil society organizations are appearing in historically strong democratic states.
Civil Society & The Foundations of Democratic Citizenship Civil society can act directly to solve critical problems, but its indirect effect might be just as important: allowing individuals to participate, collaborate, and—in the process—develop into citizens capable of upholding democracy.
For democracies to thrive, a vibrant and actively engaged citizenry and civil society are essential. Civil society can monitor and hold the state to account, it can infuse a greater diversity of voices into the policy process, and it can act as a force for democratic reform or provide resistance to democratic backsliding.
George Soros Bet Big on Liberal Democracy. Now He Fears He Is Losing.
A proposed Tunisian law to more tightly regulate nongovernmental organizations has prompted Congress to issue a rare rebuke against the Arab world’s newest democracy.
Poland’s New Surveillance Law Targets Personal Data of Environmental Advocates, Threatening U.N. Climate Talks