Our curated library is packed full of knowledge, know-how and best practices in the fields of democracy and culture.
Read the latest on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and other critical world events in our library of democratic content. Gathered from trusted international sources, the curated library brings you a rich resource of articles, opinion pieces and more on democracy and culture to keep you updated.
Take a look at curated library below and search by keyword (i.e. Ukraine or authoritarianism) or format (i.e. article or report) and find a tailored list of resources on the topics you're most interested in.
From Protests to Politics
There’s no question that activists have been the catalysts for real regime changes around the
world. But can protests transition into lasting governmental structures? Or are dissidents by
nature ill-suited to governance?
The Strong and the Weak
It has been 30 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall seemed to put an end to history, liberating
humankind to enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Turned out it doesn’t work that
way, and a new breed of strongmen have thrown up new walls built on nationalism,
intolerance, fear and nostalgia for the illusion of a simpler past. Authoritarian impulses have in
turn wrought concerns like mass migration, climate change and economic inequality, and
starkly contrasting reactions to the current crises. What is the antidote?
Policy Recommendations: Strengthening Democracy
“A growing disregard for the conditions that form the foundations of democracy...threatens to destabilize the democratic order” and “prioritizing a narrow support base at the expense of ensuring fundamental freedoms for all, and neglecting to tie democratic principles to foreign policy, leaves democracies vulnerable” to authoritarianism (Freedom House, 2020).
Democracy faces bigger threats than Vladimir Putin or Xi Jinping
“Democracy’s retreat is a favoured narrative of our times. You can see why. Wherever one looks, self-styled “strongman” leaders are scorning liberal values. The forward march of democracy of the early post-cold war era has become a retreat” (Philip Stephens, 2020).
“They Have Robbed Me of My Life” Xenophobic Violence Against Non-Nationals in South Africa
This report details xenophobic Violence against Non-Nationals in South Africa.
Deadly Consequences. Obstruction of Aid in Yemen During Covid-19
This report details "Obstruction of Aid in Yemen During Covid-19" (HRW 2020).
Democracy Erodes from the Top: Public Opinion and the Crisis of Democracy in Europe
Larry M. Bartels argues that “culpability for Europe’s current crisis of democracy...lies overwhelmingly with political elites”, using analysis that summarizes “broad trends in European public opinion” and examining “the two most prominent examples of democratic “backsliding” in contemporary Europe” in Hungary and Poland (Larry M. Bartels, September 2020).
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