Thomas Carothers is the vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. In this capacity, he oversees the Democracy and Rule of Law Program, Middle East Program, and Carnegie Europe.
Carothers is a leading authority on democracy promotion and democratization worldwide as well as an expert on U.S. foreign policy generally. He is the founder and director of the Democracy and Rule of Law Program which analyzes the state of democracy in the world and the efforts by the United States and other countries to promote democracy. In addition, he has broad experience in matters dealing with human rights, international law, foreign aid, rule of law, and civil society development.
He is the author or editor of eight critically acclaimed books on democracy promotion as well as many articles in prominent journals and newspapers. He has been a visiting faculty member at Oxford University, Central European University, and the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
Prior to joining the Endowment, Carothers practiced international and financial law at Arnold & Porter and served as an attorney-adviser in the Office of the Legal Adviser of the U.S. Department of State.
Selected Publications: Confronting the Weakest Link: Aiding Political Parties in New Democracies (Carnegie, 2006); Promoting the Rule of Law Abroad: In Search of Knowledge (Carnegie, 2006); Uncharted Journey: Promoting Democracy in the Middle East, co-edited with Marina Ottaway (Carnegie, 2005); Critical Mission: Essays on Democracy Promotion (Carnegie, 2004); Funding Virtue: Civil Society Aid and Democracy Promotion, co-edited with Marina Ottaway (Carnegie, 2000); Aiding Democracy Abroad: The Learning Curve (Carnegie, 1999); Assessing Democracy Assistance: The Case of Romania (Carnegie, 1996)
Areas of Expertise
Carothers is an expert in democracy promotion, political reform, civil society, rule of law reform, international law, foreign and humanitarian aid, human rights, nongovernmental actors, Latin America, Balkans, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Russia and Eurasia.
Education
A.B., Harvard College; M.Sc., London School of Economics; J.D., Harvard Law School
