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
JUN 24, 2016 • Podcast
Islam and Pluralism in Indonesia
"It's going on 20 years that Indonesia has been engaged in a very important experiment, which is to create a democracy in a Muslim-majority place," explains ...
JUN 23, 2016 • Podcast
Time to Wake Up
"The story of our failure on climate change is a story of our failure to understand the truly manipulative and evil effects of money in ...
MAY 20, 2016 • Podcast
Chuck Hagel on U.S. Challenges in Today's "Complicated, Interconnected World"
Drawing on decades of experience, Secretary Hagel gives a masterly and frank analysis of world events. He discusses current U.S. politics--he's confident that the ...
MAY 20, 2016 • Podcast
Threats and Opportunities on the Korean Peninsula
"Simply put, North Korea still needs to go a long way to achieve sophisticated levels of mid- to long-range nuclear missiles," declares Consul General Gheewan ...
MAY 18, 2016 • Podcast
Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox on Political Responsibility in India and the United States
What do citizens living in a democracy owe their country in terms of upholding its values and laws? Both Gandhi and Obama emphasize the importance ...
MAY 17, 2016 • Podcast
"Religious Harmony" Regulations Creating Dissonance in Indonesia
Andreas Harsono of Human Rights Watch discusses the complex situation in Indonesia, including the 2006 religious harmony regulation supposed to protect religious minorities, but which in ...
MAY 13, 2016 • Podcast
A Rage for Order: The Middle East in Turmoil, from Tahrir Square to ISIS
In this memorable conversation, "New York Times" journalists Robert Worth and Roger Cohen discuss Worth's latest book about the Arab Spring and its aftermath. Was ...
APR 25, 2016 • Podcast
Islamism: What It Means for the Middle East and the World
Until the mid-19th century, Islam was the sole basis of both political legitimacy and social identity across the Middle East. Islamists--a term that doesn't ...
APR 21, 2016 • Article
In Search of a Global Ethic
Research in 25 cities in eight countries on five continents shows that norms across cultures may not be so different after all.
APR 19, 2016 • Podcast
Eurasianism and the European Far Right: Book Launch and Update on Events in Europe
"Eurasianism and the European Far Right" is the culmination of an intensive two-year project spearheaded by the Council's U.S. Global Engagement Program. This expert ...