Corruption Poses Unparalleled Threat, U.S. Official Says

Corruption Poses Unparalleled Threat, U.S. Official Says

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Corruption is an unparalleled threat to democracy and prosperity that costs the global economy as much as $2 trillion a year, and it will require the approach of a marathon rather than a sprint to eradicate the scourge, according to William Brownfield, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for international narcotics and law enforcement. Victories like the current transformation of Ukrainian traffic police from reviled bribe takers to respected public servants give citizens the kind of hope n...

Type: Analysis

Justice, Security & Rule of Law

In Tunisia, Economic Crisis Threatens Political Progress

In Tunisia, Economic Crisis Threatens Political Progress

Thursday, November 12, 2015

By: Fred Strasser

The relative stability of Tunisia’s politics—achieved through a “national dialogue” whose mediators won the Nobel Peace Prize—is largely holding. Within a broad, governing coalition, Islamists, secularists, trade unions and employers all jockey for advantage in the usual democratic ways. But beneath the comparative calm, an economic crisis threatens the political gains of the only country building a democracy from the Arab Spring uprisings of 2011.

Type: Analysis

Violent ExtremismEnvironmentMediation, Negotiation & DialogueNonviolent ActionEconomics

National Dialogues: A Tool for Conflict Transformation?

National Dialogues: A Tool for Conflict Transformation?

Friday, October 23, 2015

By: Susan Stigant;  Elizabeth Murray

National dialogue is an increasingly popular tool for conflict resolution and political transformation. It can broaden debate regarding a country’s trajectory beyond the usual elite decision makers; however, it can also be misused and manipulated by leaders to consolidate their power. This brief includes principles to strengthen national dialogue processes and considerations for international actors seeking to support these processes.

Type: Peace Brief

Mediation, Negotiation & DialogueConflict Analysis & Prevention

From Conflict in the Streets to Peace in the Society

From Conflict in the Streets to Peace in the Society

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

By: James Rupert

From Hong Kong’s boulevards and Nairobi’s Uhuru Park to the maidans of Kyiv, Cairo and Tunis, millions of people have massed in recent years to demand greater democracy and transparency from their governments. Dozens of similar campaigns have been fought more quietly. A quarter-century of worldwide growth in such non-violent civil resistance movements has sharpened a question both for their activists and for practitioners of traditional peacebuilding: How can such resistance movements and conflict-resolution work be combined to build more stable, democratic societies?

Type: Analysis

Conflict Analysis & PreventionNonviolent Action

Q&A: Security and Democracy in Tunisia after Latest Attack

Q&A: Security and Democracy in Tunisia after Latest Attack

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

By: Daniel Brumberg

A Tunisian gunman recently massacred 38 people at the major resort of Sousse.  It was the second mass attack this year, after the March 18 assault on the well-known Bardo Museum in the capital Tunis that killed 22 people, most of them tourists. U.S. Institute of Peace Special Advisor Daniel Brumberg explores the ramifications for Tunisia and the region, as the country shows determination to pursue a democratic transition.

Type: Analysis

Violent ExtremismJustice, Security & Rule of Law

Participatory and Inclusive Constitution-Making

Participatory and Inclusive Constitution-Making

Thursday, January 29, 2015

By: Jason Gluck;  Michele Brandt

In the wake of the Arab Spring, citizens across the Middle East and North Africa are demanding reforms from their governments. How these governments respond to their people and promote inclusive constitution-making processes may determine whether their new social compacts lead to a durable peace. This report draws from the work of scholars and constitution makers who have been exchanging ideas about how to ensure that modern constitutions incorporate the needs and aspirations of the citizens ...

Type: Peaceworks

Justice, Security & Rule of LawDemocracy & Governance

Q&A: Tunisia’s Upcoming Elections

Q&A: Tunisia’s Upcoming Elections

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

By: William B. Taylor

Tunisia’s prospects for retaining its title as the only transition of the Arab Spring that hasn’t failed or collapsed into violence faces further tests this month and next, with important parliamentary elections scheduled for Oct. 26 and a presidential election on Nov. 23. USIP Acting President William B. Taylor, a former special coordinator for Middle East transitions in the State Department, considers what’s at stake.

Type: Analysis