RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Hady Amr, October 29, 2009, The Brookings Institution
Hady Amr presents research on past efforts to bridge the gap between the United States and a diverse Muslim world. In a wide survey of various initiatives, many of which developed post-9/11, Amr attempts to evaluate the level of success that different programs have experienced so far. Amr then offers several recommendations on ways civil society can be the most effective in bringing people together for meaningful dialogue and progress. Read More
PAST EVENT
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
9:00 AM to 10:30 AM
Washington, DC
As we approach the twentieth anniversary of Czechoslovakia’s Velvet Revolution, countries such as Iran, Russia, China and Cuba are trying to learn how to prevent similar "velvet revolutions" in their own countries. On October 6, the Brookings Institution hosted a discussion on the challenges and opportunities posed by nonviolent civic movements for political change around the world. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Domenico Lombardi, September 08, 2009, Presentation Before IMF Executive Directors
Governance reform at the IMF is one of the most critical tasks facing the institution. In early 2009, the IMF Managing Director, for the first time in the Fund's history, called for global consultations with civil society to gather its input in the current reform process. In a presentation before IMF Executive Directors, Domenico Lombardi shared the main points of the final report of the Fourth Pillar (civil society) consultations on IMF governance reform. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Sameer Jarrah, July 07, 2009, The Brookings Institution
In a Saban Center Working Paper, former Todd G. Patkin Visiting Fellow Sameer Jarrah analyzes public freedoms in Jordan and points to the combination of state action and internal deficiencies within civic groups as the reasons for the stalled reform process. Jarrah argues that it is in the security interest of the Jordanian government to enable civic organizations because they can provide a counterbalance to extremist groups and serve as a productive outlet for citizen discontent. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Darrell M. West, June 22, 2009, The Huffington Post
The role of Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter in recent Iranian street demonstrations shows the power of digital technologies. At the same time that these technologies facilitate grass-roots communications, they also sow the seeds for future political repression, writes Darrell West. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Tamara Cofman Wittes and Andrew Masloski, May 14, 2009, The Brookings Institution
Tamara Cofman Wittes and Andrew Masloski argue that the Obama administration should invest in the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) to advance America’s interests in a more stable, progressive and prosperous Middle East. By examining the record of MEPI, Wittes and Masloski show how it has overcome early deficits to create a small-scale, successful model of “democracy diplomacy” that integrates foreign assistance with foreign policy. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Jane Nelson and Noam Unger, May 13, 2009, The Brookings Institution
As the Obama administration and Congress work to reform an outdated foreign assistance system, they have an opportunity to adapt official U.S. efforts to more effectively and efficiently support global development in partnership with businesses and civil society. Jane Nelson and Noam Unger recommend ways the U.S. government can better position itself within the 21st century global development ecosystem.
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PAST EVENT
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
2:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Washington, DC
On April 29, the John L. Thornton China Center at Brookings hosted an event on China’s "angry youth" to explore the characteristics of this unique segment of Chinese society – their views, values and behavior. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Pietro S. Nivola, April 08, 2009, The Brookings Institution
The year 2009 was supposed to mark the dawn of a post-partisan era. However, America’s partisan politics have remained as stubbornly intense and polarized as ever. Yet, as Pietro Nivola writes, increased partisanship has an upside: party unity, accountability, civic engagement and voter turnout have all increased with partisan politics. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
William A. Galston, April 07, 2009, The Brookings Institution
William Galston warns that partisan polarization means that parties are less likely to seek common ground or to make compromises. Its negative consequences include a dysfunctional judicial confirmation process, the difficulty of maintaining a steady foreign policy and the depression of public trust in government. Read More
PAST EVENT
Monday, April 06, 2009
2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Washington, DC
On April 6, the John L. Thornton China Center at Brookings hosted a panel discussion on the re-emergence of religion in Chinese society. The panelists specifically addressed the role of Christian, Muslim and Tibetan Buddhist groups within China. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
David L. Caprara, April 03, 2009, The Brookings Institution
President Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which will double the size of AmeriCorps and increase volunteer opportunities in the U.S. and abroad. David Caprara discusses the significance of the new legislation. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Vanda Felbab-Brown, March 09, 2009, The Brookings Institution
Drug-related violence and the breakdown in security in Mexico have escalated to extraordinary levels over the past two years. Vanda Felbab-Brown examines this growing threat to civil society in Mexico, the spillover of crime into the U.S., how the situation compares to similar struggles in Colombia, and offers recommendations for a new strategy in the region. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
David L. Caprara, February 25, 2009, U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor
In testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor, David Caprara spoke to the effectiveness of international volunteering and how it is an essential element of the U.S. response to critical challenges at home and abroad. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
David L. Caprara, February 19, 2009, The Brookings Institution
President Obama has stated his commitment to enhancing service and volunteer opportunities for Americans both at home and abroad. David Caprara, the director of Brookings’s Initiative on International Volunteering and Service, explores the administration’s agenda in this Q&A. Read More