إعادة التفكير في الديمقراطية

President Donald Trump’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE reignited debate over U.S. ties to authoritarian regimes. But the controversy underscores a deeper question: why has democracy struggled to take root in the Arab world? In this episode of Rethinking Democracy, host Gonul Tol sits down with Dr.

يتصارع المحافظون الجدد وأنصار سياسة العزلة من أنصار حركة "اجعل أمريكا عظيمة مرة أخرى" على استراتيجية الحزب الجمهوري. ولا يظهر هذا الانقسام بشكل أكثر وضوحاً من انقسامهم حول الشرق الأوسط: فالصقور يرونه ساحة لإثبات قوة أمريكا وولائها لإسرائيل، بينما لا يرى أنصار سياسة العزلة فيه سوى حروب لا نهاية لها استنزفت أمريكا. فأين يقف ترامب في هذا الصراع؟

Ukraine faces a pivotal year in its fight against Russian aggression — and for its democratic future. With fears mounting that President Trump could abandon peace talks with Kyiv and Moscow, the risk grows that US disengagement could tip the balance toward Russia and fracture the global democratic order.

Turkey has plunged into turmoil after authorities arrested Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, President Erdoğan’s strongest opponent, on charges of corruption. Mass protests, the largest in over a decade, have erupted nationwide after İmamoğlu was removed from office and jailed just hours before the opposition was set to declare him its presidential candidate.

For the first time in decades, the question of how Syria will be governed is wide open. The fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime at the hands of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an armed Islamist group with former ties to al-Qaeda, has left Syria in uncharted territory. Its de facto leader, Ahmed Al Shaara, has pledged a vision of a pluralistic Syria governed by civil institutions rather than dictatorship or ideology.

Last month, the US electorate voted President-Elect Donald Trump back into the White House. His victory was seen by some experts as part of a global trend and a move towards anti-incumbency attitudes and populism. How will Trump’s rhetoric impact the United States domestically and internationally? Will he govern as a strongman during his second term? What can we expect to be different from his first term?

China has made significant inroads in the Middle East through diplomacy, trade, investment, and infrastructure projects. Beijing advertises the benefits of its authoritarian development model and presents itself as a responsible alternative to the United States. What does this mean for MENA autocracies? Gregory Gause and Jon Alterman join Gonul Tol to discuss China’s growing presence in the Middle East.

Authoritarian populism is on the rise around the world. Political scientists and policymakers are debating what’s driving this trend. Is it economic inequality, or a cultural backlash against social change that erodes trust in democratic institutions? Dr. Daron Acemoglu and Dr. Tamara Cofman Wittes join Gonul Tol to discuss the relationship between changing economic conditions and support for democracy.

According to the World Justice Project, 2023 was the sixth year in a row in which the rule of law has declined in most countries. The rule of law is a cornerstone of democratic societies – promoting fairness and ensuring accountability. Thomas Carothers and Vali Nasr join Gonul Tol to answer the questions: What is the relationship between the rule of law and democracy? Why is the rule of law challenged in places like the Middle East, and can the West help advance it?

The world’s oldest democracy is in trouble. According to a study by the Public Religion Research Institute and the Brookings Institution, 75% of Americans believe that “the future of American democracy is at risk in the 2024 presidential election.” We often debate why democracies die because we assume that authoritarian power is the exception and democracy is the norm. But history says otherwise. Francis Fukuyama and Paul Salem join Gonul Tol to answer the question: Why has democracy flourished in certain countries and regions and not in others?