In Fall 2009, The Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) hosted conferences in Amman, Beirut, and Cairo to examine the political dynamics in the Middle East.  Participants developed recommendations for U.S. foreign policy initiatives for encouraging meaningful democratic political reform. The Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the United States Institute for Peace, and Georgetown’s Democracy and Governance Program sponsored the conferences.

On January 19th, 2010, four emerging leaders working in the Middle East will discuss the recommendations formed at the POMED conferences, as well as their own experiences.  The participants will share their thoughts on issues of political change in the Middle East, with a response from Kenneth Wollack, President of the National Democratic Institute (NDI).

When: Tuesday, January 19th, 2010

5 pm

Where: Mortara Center for International for International Studies

3600 N Street, NW

Washington, D.C. 20057

Reception to follow

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It’s been a crazy last half of the year for the Democracy and Society Crowd – we started D&S.com, put out a new call for papers, helped DG students host the very successful Dictators and Demonstrators symposium, welcomed new bloggers, learned how Barak spends his evenings, criticized the government, influenced foreign policy, and started a few fights.

In honor of all of our activities, here’s our list of Top Posts to review the year.

Top Posts

• The war on Flying
• Kosovo as a model for Afghanistan?
• Obama needs a vision check
• Why do people protest?

And while the stats aren’t in yet, Barak’s ‘Development first crowd‘ series is likely to be a hit as well.

Most Commented

‘Obama needs a vision check’ also has the distinction of being our most commented post of the year.  Other top commented posts include:

• Growth without government
• Another coup government consolidated in Africa

Thank you for making it such a great year, but I think we can all agree it’s time to move on to the next one.  Happy New Year from all of us at D&S and Georgetown CDACS!

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Dictators and Demonstrators:

Sharing Strategies on Repression and Reform

A Graduate Student and Practitioner Symposium

Presented By

The Center for Democracy and Civil Society at Georgetown University

In Cooperation With

Freedom House & the Forum for the Study of Democracy

December 10th, 2009

10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Council on Foreign Relations

1777 F Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006

From Rangoon to Tehran, demonstrators continually adopt new strategies and technologies in their struggles against oppressive regimes. However, demonstrators are not the only ones adapting. In an effort to preempt demonstrators, authoritarians manage access to technologies, cooperate in regional organizations, and learn from each other. Contending dictators and demonstrators are aware of this competitive learning, but we know little about which side is more adaptable and under what conditions.

Demonstrators: 10:00a.m. – 11:20 a.m.

Commentator: Thomas O. Melia, Deputy Executive Director, Freedom House

Gabrielle Bardall, International Foundation for Electoral Systems

Kilic Kanat, Department of Political Science, Syracuse University

Laura Mottaz, Center for International Media Assistance, National Endowment for Democracy

J. Hunter Price, Department of Political Science, Trinity University

Dictators: 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Commentator: Daniel Brumberg, Associate Professor of Political Science at Georgetown University and Acting Director of the Muslim World Initiative at the US Institute for Peace.

Lauren Albright, Department of Political Science, Temple University

Sheena Chestnut, Department of Political Science, Harvard University

Jeanne Elone, School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University

Brandon Yonder, National Endowment for Democracy

Refreshments will be served

RSVP by December 8 to cdacsconference@gmail.com

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Michael Allen at Democracy Digest has lots of good information on jobs and events.  Also, the Carter Center is looking for Medium-Term Observers for Sudan’s voter registration.

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