Our curated library is packed full of knowledge, know-how and best practices in the fields of democracy and culture.
Read the latest on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and other critical world events in our library of democratic content. Gathered from trusted international sources, the curated library brings you a rich resource of articles, opinion pieces and more on democracy and culture to keep you updated.
Take a look at curated library below and search by keyword (i.e. Ukraine or authoritarianism) or format (i.e. article or report) and find a tailored list of resources on the topics you're most interested in.
The Young's Discontent with Democracy is Worrying
“The young are dissatisfied with democracy. More worryingly, they are more dissatisfied with democracy than previous generations were at the same age. This makes them inclined towards extreme politics of the left or right — which may, in turn, actively threaten democracy in future” (The Financial Times Editorial Board, 2020).
Think Big, Act Small: Elinor Ostrom’s radical vision for community power
"This report draws out Ostrom’s insights for the UK in the context of a growing crisis in the relationship between people and institutions. It adapts and contextualises her work into a new set of practical lessons for ‘self-governance’ – where communities take control over the things that matter to them – and connects these with contemporary examples of community-powered projects in the UK" (Dr. Simon Kaye, 2020).
New Weapons, Proven Precedent. Elements of and Models for a Treaty on Killer Robots
Fully autonomous weapons would usher in a new era of armed conflict. Also known as lethal autonomous weapons systems or “killer robots,” these systems would select and engage targets without meaningful human control. International law and non-legally binding principles of AI provide precedent for the elements of new treaties. Lessons from the past should be adapted to this emerging technology. (Human Rights Watch, 2020).
The Encroachment of the Unsayable
“Our compromised liberalism has left a generation of writers weighing their every word for fear that a wrong one could wreck their professional lives. The result is safer, but also more timid; more correct, but also less interesting..it is as deadly an enemy of writing as has ever been devised” (Bret Stephens, 2020).
The pandemic has eroded democracy and respect for human rights
“The pandemic has been terrible not only for the human body but also for the body politic...Covid-19 'has fuelled a crisis for democracy around the world,' argue Sarah Repucci and Amy Slipowitz of Freedom House” (The Economist, 2020).
Assessment Of The Outcomes Of The 45th Session Of The Un Human Rights Council (Hrc45)
"This briefing document provides Amnesty International’s assessment of some of the key outcomes and developments that were priorities for the organization at the 45th session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC45), as well as recommendations for next steps" (Amnesty International, 2020)
Weakened democracy is another harm caused by Big Tech
“Each day reveals new harms caused by technology companies to democracy and public values...yet lawmakers still turn predominantly to market mechanisms when they seek to bolster the democratic accountability of technology companies...it is time for democratic principles to be safeguarded more explicitly” (Marietje Schaake, 2020).
Garry Kasparov on the need to improve our politics with technology
“Technology races ahead: and “society rushes to embrace it without a plan...politics, in contrast, still plods along. At a time when democratic institutions around the world are fraying...the solution is to borrow from the ethos of technological progress and instil innovation into our democracy and political processes” (Garry Kasparov, 2020).
This site links to both original content and third-party content not owned by the Democracy & Culture Foundation, for which the foundation is not liable or responsible.
