Framing ethical perspectives
Democracy is a form of government in which political control is given to the people, whether directly or through the election of governing officials. Currently, large numbers of people have lost faith in this form of government and some elected officials have been working to dismantle democratic institutions. Our programs, events, and experts strive to better understand this development.
Featured Democracy Resources
State of global democracy, U.S. global engagement, and more
FEB 6, 2026 • Article
Trump and the Gaslighting of American Realism
APR 9, 2026 • Article
Realism vs. Pragmatism: Understanding America’s New Rhetorical Landscape
Amid Trump's fiery rhetoric and debates over "realism," Professor Jason Ralph writes that "pragmatism" may offer a better alternative for the American public.
SEP 11, 2025 • Video
Post-Liberal American Power
In the first event in our "Values & Interests" series, an expert panel examines the question: Has Trump 2.0 ushered in an era of post-liberal American power?
Related Initiatives
Ethics & International Affairs Journal
Ethics & International Affairs is the quarterly journal of Carnegie Council. It aims to close the gap between the theory and practice of ethics.
Explore Our Democracy Resources
APR 8, 2022 • Article
A New Consensus for a New Era?
As we await the release of the National Security Strategy of the Biden/Harris administration, Senior Fellow Nikolas Gvosdvev shares an assessment of the birth ...
APR 7, 2022 • Podcast
The Doorstep: Pakistan & the Populist World Order, with Atlantic Council's Uzair Younus
A leader asking his second in command to keep him in power. A parliament dissolved. A Supreme Court deciding the fate of a nation. Echoes ...
MAR 18, 2022 • Podcast
Red Carpet: Hollywood, China, and the Global Battle for Cultural Supremacy, with Erich Schwartzel
Hollywood has long been part of the United States' soft power arsenal. Now, that soft power is threatened by the larger geostrategic competition between the ...
MAR 2, 2022 • Podcast
The Doorstep: Can Putin Be Stopped? with Atlantic Council's Melinda Haring
Atlantic Council's Ukraine expert Melinda Haring joins "Doorstep" co-hosts Nick Gvosdev and Tatiana Serafin to discuss where we are one week after Russian President Vladimir ...
FEB 28, 2022 • Podcast
Russia Invades Ukraine: A Principled Response
Russia's invasion of Ukraine raises several ethical questions: Why did diplomacy fail? What does the invasion mean for the principle of sovereignty? Are sanctions an ...
FEB 10, 2022 • Podcast
Davos Man: How the Billionaires Devoured the World, with Peter S. Goodman
Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world's wealthiest added a whopping $3.9 trillion to their pockets while as many as 500 million people descended into ...
FEB 9, 2022 • Podcast
Where is the Public Square for the Digital Information Age? with Stelios Vassilakis
In this episode of the "Artificial Intelligence & Equality Initiative" podcast, Senior Fellow Anja Kaspersen and Carnegie Council President Joel Rosenthal sit down with the Stavros ...
JAN 13, 2022 • Podcast
The Doorstep: Opportunities for New Narratives in Foreign Policy, with Judah Grunstein
Judah Grunstein, editor-in-chief of "World Politics Review," returns to "The Doorstep" to discuss 2022 trends in U.S. global engagement with co-hosts Nick Gvosdev and Tatiana ...
JAN 6, 2022 • Article
One Year After the January 6 Insurrection, Democracy Needs a Rallying Cry
On the first anniversary of the January 6 insurrection, groups across society are increasingly worried about the state of democracy. But as the pressure on democracy ...
DEC 16, 2021 • Podcast
The Doorstep: Grading the Biden/Harris "Foreign Policy for the Middle Class" with Mo Elleithee
The Biden/Harris team had big plans for re-engaging the U.S. with the world after four years of retrenchment under Trump. But the continuing ...