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
MAR 6, 2014 • Article
Rein in Ukraine's Neo-Fascists
For a new government to succeed in Ukraine, it's important that the nation's neo-fascist, anti-Semitic, and anti-Russian parties are marginalized, writes David Speedie.
MAR 5, 2014 • Article
The Secret of Political Jiu-Jitsu
"While oppression may appear to be a display of the government's power, skilled activists know that it's actually a sign of weakness."
MAR 5, 2014 • Podcast
Crisis in Ukraine: Crimean Stand-Off
In the latest Security Bulletin, Russia expert Professor Nicolai Petro speaks from Odessa in southern Ukraine on the ongoing crisis, with a particular focus on ...
FEB 28, 2014 • Podcast
"War on Terror," an Insider's View: A Conversation with Harold H. Koh
As legal adviser to the State Department from 2009 to 2013, Harold Koh was responsible for making judgments about the most difficult issues in the "war on ...
FEB 24, 2014 • Podcast
Crisis in Ukraine: The View from Beyond Kiev
This is the third in a series of Security Bulletins on the crisis in Ukraine, and here Dr. Nicolai N. Petro gives us a view ...
FEB 12, 2014 • Podcast
Crisis in Ukraine: The Role and Responsibility of the West
This is the second in a series of Carnegie Council Security Bulletins on the crisis in Ukraine, in conversation with Dr. Anton Shekhovtsov, a Ukrainian-born ...
FEB 10, 2014 • Podcast
The Limits of Partnership: U.S.-Russian Relations in the 21st Century
Sochi, Snowden, and Syria--these are just a few of the issues complicating the U.S.-Russian relationship, says Georgetown's Angela Stent in this dynamic and ...
FEB 5, 2014 • Podcast
Mobilize Your People Like Obama: Applying Lessons from the 2012 Campaign to Your Everyday Work
In 2012, Barack Obama won a hard-fought victory in a campaign driven by advanced community organizing tactics, big data, and technology. In this lively workshop with ...
FEB 3, 2014 • Podcast
Crisis in Ukraine: A Voice from Kiev, January 31, 2014
What is the likely outcome of the violent clashes in Ukraine? Does the U.S. and the West have a moral imperative to intervene and, ...
JAN 31, 2014 • Article
The Moral Operating System of a Global City: Los Angeles
For global cities to solve the central problem of collaboration among strangers, they need a moral operating system: shared codes and behaviors that enable people ...