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Introduction
A wave of democratization reshaped the world not so long ago. Could it happen again now?
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A wave of democratization reshaped the world not so long ago. Could it happen again now?
As dictatorships crumble across the Middle East, how do we promote American values while protecting American interests?
Just after the streets of Tunisia and Egypt erupted, China saw a series of “Jasmine” protests — until the government stopped them cold. Was the regime’s defensive reaction just paranoia? Or is the Chinese public less satisfied — and more combustible — than it appears?
Can democracy take root in a predominantly Islamic part of the world? How Atlantic writers thought about the question throughout the 20th century.
A renowned scholar of Near Eastern studies, took on the question of Islam's suitability for democratic rule
The global triumph of democracy was to be the glorious climax of the American Century. But democracy may not be the system that will best serve the world—or even the one that will prevail in places that now consider themselves bastions of freedom.
At a time when countries in Eastern Europe and elsewhere were demanding the right to self-determination, Raymond D. Gastil assessed the extent to which civil liberties within a democracy require protection within a democracy
In the midst of World War II, the wife of China's Nationalist leader, Chiang Kai-shek, decried the exploitation of China by the West and delineated a vision for a more democratic future
This Chinese author proudly declared "we have transformed our immense country from an empire of four thousand years' standing into a modern democracy" asking that the United States lend its support to the fledgling government through official recognition
The exclusive inside story of the planning for a dissident blogger's getaway from the repressive island kingdom |
Wong Campion/Reuters
Recent protests in Kunming reveal an increasing consciousness of environmental rights in the country. But do they threaten the Communist Party's grip on power?
The Atlantic
Eric Schmidt, Jared Cohen, and Steve Clemons discuss the political limitations of the Internet.
Reuters
Amid all the kitsch, the singing contest's main sponsor's ties get scrutinized.
yu_miles/Twitter
A Chinese internet meme used to evade censorship finds its way onto the popular American quiz show.
Reuters
How a Buddhist mindset, the "Middle Way," and a Harvard education keep Lobsang Sangay, the country's Sikyong, afloat. Oh, and no attachments, please.
Scanpix
In this interview, the Chinese dissident discusses human rights, Internet censorship, and what the international community can do to help individual freedom in China.
Amr Dalsh/Reuters
Institutions are gradually shifting in favor of Islamists in many Arab Spring countries.
Jonas Ekstromer/Reuters
The Nobel laureate's refusal to discuss politics raises a question: Do cultural figures in China have a responsibility to be dissidents?
Fayaz Aziz/Reuters
What the country's changing demographics mean for its upcoming election
Reuters
Here are the newest opponents of the free press
Amr Dalsh/Reuters
Egyptian President Morsi and his party only get specific on random religious decrees, not policy.
Ralph Orlowsky/Reuters
In this excerpt, the Beijing-based novelist discusses the banality of Chinese censorship.
An interview with the award-winning author about freedom of expression, the People's Republic, and how literature can thrive under repressive governments.
Reuters
The last bastion of independent media in Venezuela has changed ownership -- but could it be for the best?
Google
Two countries -- Brazil and Russia -- stand out for their increased policing of content online.
Reuters
More than two years into the uprising, the balance of power does not look like it's tipping in favor of the rebels.
Facebook is big, LinkedIn not so much.
Carlos Barria/Reuters
The existence of the Great Firewall hurts China's economy -- but the issue is more complicated than you think.
Reuters
How a LiveJournal blogger became the Russian president's worst enemy.
Max Rossi/Reuters
Feng Xiaogang -- often called "China's Spielberg" -- brings up a taboo subject in a speech.
The world may never run out of oil—and the consequences could be dire. Plus: avoiding the worst parts of death, Henry Kissinger's statesmanship, reconsidering hair metal, and more.
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