Democracy Lab Weekly Brief, July 27, 2012

In a country where consulting a psychologist is taboo, Portia Walker explores the challenge of overcoming the civil war in Libya.

Endy Bayuni examines why few Indonesians are prepared to come to terms with the darkest chapter of the country’s recent history.

Min Zin wonders whether the regime will succeed in its bid to co-opt the pro-democracy opposition through appeals to nationalism amid continuing sectarian strife.

Juan Nagel and Francisco Toro explain why Henrique Capriles Radonski, the leading opposition candidate in Venezuela’s presidential race, may have to rely on the Internet to get his message out.

Christian Caryl analyzes the challenges involved in measuring democracy.

Mohamed El Dahshan takes a critical look at how some Egyptians have been commemorating the end of the monarchy 60 years ago. He also finds reason to defend the public role of Naglaa Ali Mahmoud, the wife of President Mohamed Morsi.

Roger Bate writes about new opportunities for pharmaceutical companies to make their drugs available in the developing world.

And Jackee Batanda reflects on the efforts of U.S. religious groups to promote anti-gay policies in Africa.

This week’s recommended reads:

A report from the International Crisis Group makes the case for significant economic reforms in Burma — as long as the elites agree to play by the rules.

Spiegel reporters Christoph Reuter and Abd al-Kadher Adhun investigate the scene of the gruesome massacre in Houla, Syria. The editors of Jadaliyya explain the origins of the Alawites, the main pillar of the Assad regime in Syria. And Marc Lynch argues that the Obama Administration made the right decision by not intervening militarily in Syria.

Writing for SES Türkiye about Turkey’s leadership in the Middle East and North Africa, Alakbar Raufoglu focuses on its crucial role in training a Libyan police force, the major institution that will guarantee security during the transition.

Human Rights Watch condemns the abuses often committed during the "treatment" of drug users in Southeast Asia.

Irina Borogan and Andrei Soldatov, writing for OpenDemocracy.net, explore Russian officialdom’s use of drones to spy on opposition demonstrators — a sign, the authors say, of the country’s growing authoritarianism.

At Transitions Online, Cecilia Ferrara examines how the Belgrade underworld dominates political life in Serbia — and wonders whether the state is capable of keeping it under control.

In a paper for the European University Institute, Knox Thames argues that the experience of the United States can serve as a model for the preservation of religious freedom in the European Union.

The Kyiv Post introduces a new political monitoring system created by a civil society group in Ukraine: an online ranking of parliamentarians’ productivity. (The image above shows protestors and police clashing during a recent demonstration.)

And Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty shows how activists in one city in Russia have hit upon a novel way to draw attention to the miserable condition of their roads.