• Research
  • Emissary
  • About
  • Experts
Carnegie Global logoCarnegie lettermark logo
DemocracyIran
  • Donate
{
  "authors": [
    "Thomas Carothers"
  ],
  "type": "other",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
  ],
  "collections": [
    "Democracy and Governance"
  ],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "democracy",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "DCG",
  "programs": [
    "Democracy, Conflict, and Governance"
  ],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "North America",
    "United States",
    "Southern, Eastern, and Western Africa",
    "Eastern Europe"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Political Reform",
    "Democracy",
    "Foreign Policy"
  ]
}

Source: Getty

Other

Democracy’s Uncertain State

While the global state of democracy appears worse off than in recent years, there have emerged numerous positive cases of democratic consolidation that are underappreciated.

Link Copied
By Thomas Carothers
Published on May 5, 2016
Program mobile hero image

Program

Democracy, Conflict, and Governance

The Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program is a leading source of independent policy research, writing, and outreach on global democracy, conflict, and governance. It analyzes and seeks to improve international efforts to reduce democratic backsliding, mitigate conflict and violence, overcome political polarization, promote gender equality, and advance pro-democratic uses of new technologies.

Learn More

Source: Margaret Vogt Memorial Lecture Series, United Nations Democracy Fund

On May 5 in New York, Thomas Carothers gave the inaugural lecture in a new lecture series on democracy at the United Nations in honor of Margaret Vogt, the late Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the Central African Republic. He spoke about "Democracy’s Uncertain State.”

He highlighted UNDEF's role in addressing these challenges: "The United Nations role in international democracy support is much wider, much broader and much more important than many observers of this community realize... We have the United Nations Democracy Fund, which when it was started a little more than 10 years ago, many people had questions about, but has proven itself to be effective, respected and legitimate in parts of the world where it's very difficult for others to operate."

The lecture was originally broadcast on UN Web TV.

About the Author

Thomas Carothers

Harvey V. Fineberg Chair for Democracy Studies; Director, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program

Thomas Carothers, director of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program, is a leading expert on comparative democratization and international support for democracy.

    Recent Work

  • Paper
    The Effects of U.S. Democratic Backsliding on U.S. Power

      Thomas Carothers

  • Paper
    Post-U.S. International Democracy Support: Aspiration in Search of Substance

      Richard Youngs, Thomas Carothers

Thomas Carothers
Harvey V. Fineberg Chair for Democracy Studies; Director, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program
Thomas Carothers
Political ReformDemocracyForeign PolicyNorth AmericaUnited StatesSouthern, Eastern, and Western AfricaEastern Europe

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

  • Commentary
    Emissary
    Ahead of the Ankara Summit, NATO’s Mood Has Changed

    European allies are less focused on appeasing Trump and more focused on smoothing the transition to a Europe-led alliance.

      • Nate Reynolds
      • +1

      Sophia Besch, Alper Coşkun, Nate Reynolds, …

  • Photo of commercial ship anchored near the Strait of Hormuz.
    Article
    In the Middle East and North Africa, America and China Converge More Than They Diverge

    Middle powers in the region will keep hedging between Washington and Beijing. It’s in the great powers’ interests to play along.

      • Photo of Kathryn Selfe.

      Amr Hamzawy, Kathryn Selfe

  • White House fences and stormy weather
    Paper
    The Effects of U.S. Democratic Backsliding on U.S. Power

    Democratic erosion is undercutting four key elements of U.S. power, with mounting and likely lasting effects.

      Thomas Carothers

  • Turkey ship Istanbul Bosporus Straits Black Sea
    Article
    Managing Montreux: Turkey and the Russia-Ukraine War in the Black Sea

    For ninety years, Turkey has been positioned as the principal gatekeeper of Black Sea security. As a result, European and NATO efforts to support Ukraine will require closer engagement with Ankara.

      Thomas de Waal

  • Commentary
    Strategic Europe
    Geopolitical Europe Needs Air-Conditioning

    Western Europe’s dual-use infrastructure melted down during its latest heat wave. If a predicted hot weather event can take the continent by surprise, what chance does it have to withstand unexpected geopolitical crises?

      • Rym Momtaz

      Rym Momtaz

Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Carnegie global logo, stacked
1779 Massachusetts Avenue NWWashington, DC, 20036-2103Phone: 202 483 7600
  • Research
  • Emissary
  • About
  • Experts
  • Donate
  • Programs
  • Events
  • Blogs
  • Podcasts
  • Contact
  • Annual Reports
  • Careers
  • Privacy
  • For Media
  • Government Resources
Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
© 2026 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. All rights reserved.