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
NOV 23, 2020 • Article
Competing Ethics in the Biden Administration?
In this blog post responding to Thomas Wright's recent article in "The Atlantic," Senior Fellow Nikolas Gvosdev outlines the three different "camps" vying for influence ...
NOV 20, 2020 • Podcast
The Doorstep: The U.S. & Latin America under Joe Biden, with Wilson Center's Cynthia Arnson
What will a Biden administration mean for Latin America? In this week's "Doorstep," hosts Tatiana Serafin and Nikolas Gvosdev are joined by the Wilson Center's ...
NOV 16, 2020 • Podcast
Protests in Perspective: Civil Disobedience & Activism Today, with Erica Chenoweth & Deva Woodly
Civil disobedience is a storied political tradition. Can it empower today's activists? How should we understand the connection between protest and democracy? Citing movements from ...
NOV 9, 2020 • Article
Are the Narratives Going to Matter?
Building on recent episodes of "The Doorstep" podcast, host Nikolas Gvosdev reflects on competing narratives and policy preferences in light of Vice President Joe Biden's ...
NOV 5, 2020 • Podcast
The Doorstep: The World Waits for the Next U.S. President, with Professor Tom Nichols
As America waits for counts to come in from the last handful of swing states and the Trump campaign files lawsuits, leaders around the world ...
OCT 23, 2020 • Podcast
The Doorstep: America in the Middle East & the "Caliphate" Controversy, with NYU's Mohamad Bazzi
On this week's "Doorstep," hosts Tatiana Serafin and Nikolas Gvosdev are joined by NYU's Professor Mohamad Bazzi, an expert on the Middle East. The discussion ...
OCT 21, 2020 • Article
Senator Menendez & the Narratives
Senior Fellow Nikolas Gvosdev discusses a recent report on Trump's foreign policy from the Democratic members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led by Senator ...
OCT 15, 2020 • Podcast
The Democratic Community: A Path for U.S. Engagement? with Ash Jain
Polling data suggests that the American public is not in favor of isolationism, but wants to adjust the terms of U.S. engagement. In this ...
OCT 9, 2020 • Podcast
The Doorstep: Spy Games & Trump's Health, Pence vs. Harris, & Europe's Refugee Crisis, with Politico's Nahal Toosi
In the second episode of "The Doorstep" hosts Tatiana Serafin and Nikolas Gvosdev discuss the counterintelligence aspect of President Trump's health crisis, the main street ...
OCT 5, 2020 • Podcast
Protests in Perspective: Lessons from the Past, with Michael Canham & Adom Getachew
In this "Protests in Perspective" webinar, moderated by Williams University's Professor Neil Roberts, South African government official Michael Canham, and University of Chicago's Professor Adom ...