Democracy Lab Weekly Brief, June 24, 2013

Isobel Coleman and Terra Lawson-Remer offer reformers seven tips on democratic transitions.

Cristina Odone explains why the Belarus opposition is finding it so hard to challenge Europe’s last dictatorship.

Ellen Bork criticizes Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi for failing to confront sectarian violence. Min Zin assesses the chances of a future power-sharing agreement between the opposition and the ruling party.

Christian Caryl argues that the results of Iran’s presidential election don’t mean as much for the country’s future as some are making out.

Laurence Cockcroft examines the global anti-corruption measures approved at this week’s G8 Summit.

Juan Nagel analyzes the Venezuelan government policies that are responsible for widespread shortages of basic goods.

Mohamed Eljarh reports on the travails of the Libyan judiciary as courts try to tackle transitional justice.

And now for this week’s recommended reads:

The New York Times Editorial Board explains why the protests in Brazil, as shown in the photo above, should come as no surprise.

Sama’a Al-Hamdani, writing for the Atlantic Council, gives a status report on Yemen’s National Dialogue Conference and the problems it faces.

Reporters from Reuters offer a detailed look at how Islamist rebel groups in Syria are governing the territories they’ve wrested away from the Assad government.

In the New York Times, Amartya Sen suggests that India needs to learn some lessons from China if it wishes to overtake its competitor.

Jerome Taylor reports in The Independent how Aung San Suu Kyi’s response to sectarian violence in Burma is causing a rift among her supporters in Britain. Anya Kamenetz writes on Burma’s efforts to leapfrog its way into the era of modern communications.

The Atlantic‘s Thomas A. Bass interviews Tunisian professor Habib Kazdaghli, who is under attack for his secular views.

Ronald Brownstein, in the National Journal, explains USAID’s game-changing efforts to spend less money but make more of an impact.

In The New Yorker, Masha Lipman laments the emigration of Russia’s "best citizens." Ksenia Leonova tells the story of a gay man’s life in Chechnya.

On Dart-Throwing Chimp, Jay Ulfelder analyzes the shortcomings of recent reporting on the unrest in Brazil.