Featuring
Thomas Carothers
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
John Cavanagh
Institute for Policy Studies
Michael W. Doyle
Carnegie Council Senior Fellow, Model International Mobility Convention (MIMC); Former Carnegie Council Trustee; Columbia University
Sakiko Fukuda-Parr
The New School
Andrew Kuper
LeapFrog; Former Carnegie Council Senior Associate
Adam Przeworski
New York University
Mary Robinson
Mary Robinson Foundation - Climate Justice; Former President of Ireland
Joseph E. Stiglitz
Columbia University
A panel of high-level peers met at the Council to develop multilateral strategies for democracy promotion. Impatient with the usual critique and lamentation, the participants focused on constructive avenues to produce change.
The discussion begins with two diagnostic questions: What is the state of democratization in the world today? How have democracy promotion strategies changed since September 11, given the transformed U.S. agenda of war on terror? The panelists provide insightful and important answers to these panoramic questions.
The panelists then explore the effectiveness of four strategies for promoting democracy:
- • Do
• How useful are indirect methods of democracy promotion, such as building civil societies and independent judiciaries.
• When does it make sense to engage in direct confrontations with undemocratic rulers, from “naming and shaming” through to military conflict?
• How can multilateral institutions and multi-stakeholder initiatives better encourage democratization?
The discussion concludes with a critique of whether economic incentives, such as sanctions, can motivate obedience to international democratic norms.