Democracy Assistance

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

This course explores the challenges of assisting democracy internationally and is designed to provide a baseline grasp of how effective democracy assistance programs are designed and implemented. It reviews the recent paths of democratic transitions, the emergence of policies in support of these transitions, and addresses the implications of the emergence of 21st century authoritarianism. The course includes case studies of key components of democracy promotion strategies: fostering free elections, supporting civil society and the rule of law, political party development, and freedom of speech and media assistance – from which students will prepare in-class presentations. The course also incorporates assessments of the contributions of non-US actors in promoting democracy, and provides a brief overview of the inherent challenges to evaluating the impact of democracy assistance initiatives.