RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
William A. Galston, January 24, 2012, The Brookings Institution
William Galston examines President Obama's 2012 State of the Union address, discussing the specifics of the president's message as it related to the economy, President Obama's record, and Congressional politics. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Ran Tao, December 16, 2011, The Guardian
The mass protest in Wukan, Guangdong grabbed international headlines in the past few days, as villagers clashed with local government officials over land disputes. The Wukan case is just one of tens of thousands of "mass incidents," or cases of civil unrest, that China has experienced in recent years. Tao Ran explains how this social phenomenon not only threatens stability in the country, but also impedes the budding grassroots democracy. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Elisabeth Jacobs, December 07, 2011, The Brookings Institution
On December 7, Elisabeth Jacobs answered your questions on the Occupy Wall Street movement and its potential to impact Washington in a live web chat moderated by POLITICO. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
William A. Galston, November 05, 2011, The New York Times
In an environment of intense political polarization and low voter participation rates, William Galston offers three reasons why mandatory voting could lead to a more effective and trustworthy U.S. political system. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Elisabeth Jacobs, November 03, 2011, The Brookings Institution
Elisabeth Jacobs examines the Occupy Wall Street protest movement and writes that the lack of explicit demands is advantageous for the movement and savvy politicians alike. Occupy Wall Street’s meta-demand that government policies serve “the 99 percent” has protected the movement from becoming tangled in the weeds of legislative requests, a strategic move that has allowed the protests to gain energy and popular support, writes Jacobs. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
David L. Caprara, October 20, 2011, The Brookings Institution
David Caprara summarizes the deliberations of the attendees at the Southern Africa Conference on Volunteer Action for Development, which focused on the importance of volunteerism in promoting development goals and assessed the “five pillars” of effective volunteerism: engaging youth, community involvement, international volunteers, corporate leadership and higher education in service. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Ibrahim Sharqieh, October 06, 2011, The National
Ibrahim Sharqieh examines next steps for Libyans, arguing that forgiveness for members of the Qaddafi regime, rather than retribution, is necessary to ensure that the country enters a new era of justice, freedom and development. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Philip N. Howard, Sheetal D. Agarwal and Muzammil M. Hussain, October 2011, The Brookings Institution
Philip Howard, Sheetal Agarwal, and Muzammil Hussain examine when and why governments decide to interfere with citizens’ access to the Internet and disconnect digital networks. The authors find that overall more democracies participate in network interventions than authoritarian regimes, but authoritarian regimes conduct more shutdowns with greater frequency. Read More
PAST EVENT
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Washington, DC
On September 13, the Project on U.S. Relations with the Islamic World at Brookings hosted a discussion analyzing the factors that led to increased Muslim activism immediately after 9/11, especially among younger Muslims, and evaluated how this dynamic has changed and evolved over the last decade. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Amy Liu, August 29, 2011, The Brookings Institution
Six years after Katrina, Amy Liu, co-editor of Resilience and Opportunity, examines what it takes to rebuild after a major catastrophe, and explains that despite the ongoing challenges of such disasters, New Orleans is teaching the world key lessons on how to turn desperation into opportunity. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Brie Loskota and Nadia Roumani, August 2011, The Brookings Institution
This paper addresses the development of faith-based organizations (FBOs) and the roles they play in the American public square, and looks at how other religious minorities, specifically the Jewish and Mormon communities, have navigated this space. The authors then examine the current state of affairs among Muslim FBOs in the United States, and conclude by offering recommendations for how to increase the capacity of Muslim organizations to be more effective public actors. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Humera Khan and Imam Mohamed Magid, August 2011, The Brookings Institution
In an increasingly interconnected world, the relationship between majority and minority communities, both in the United States and abroad, must be better understood. This working group explored the roles and responsibilities of minority and majority communities toward each other and in a global context. Participants discussed topics in the context of five major issues: integration and identity, the impact of media and politics, security and counterterrorism, the treatment of marginalized communities, and interfaith relations. Read More
PAST EVENT
Thursday, July 28, 2011
10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Washington, DC
On July 28, the Center for Universal Education hosted a consultation on the strategies behind, and practical implementation of, national education accounts (NEAs). Representatives from the Education for All-Fast Track Initiative, UNESCO, USAID, World Bank, and implementing partners presented and discussed information on education financing. Read More
PAST EVENT
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Washington, DC
Using social networking outreach tools such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, American politicians built unprecedented virtual electoral coalitions. The Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings convened a discussion forum focused on using social networking and digital tools to reinvigorate democracy and extend electronic engagement from campaigns and grassroots activism to governance. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Darrell M. West, June 28, 2011, The Brookings Institution
As shown during the 2008 campaign, social media represented a textbook example of voter mobilization and electoral impact, writes Darrell West. However, it has proven difficult to sustain political interest and activism online over time and move electronic engagement from campaigns to governance. Drawing from a recent expert panel discussion hosted by the Center for Technology Innovation, West outlines ten ways social media can improve campaign engagement and re-invigorate American democracy. Read More