Democracy Lab Weekly Brief, November 25, 2013

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Malik Al-Abdeh explains why Syria’s rebels are increasingly focusing on business rather than war.

Gwen Robinson travels with Burma’s reformist president across a conflict-ridden state.

Eric Randolph notes that Nepal’s social revolution has only just begun, despite a successful national election.

Anna Nemtsova details the latest tribulations of Russia’s political activists.

Mohamed El Dahshan describes what happens when Algeria’s police state butts heads with Arab internet activists.

Juan Nagel writes about Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro’s new power to rule by decree.

Asma Ghribi reports on police brutality in Tunisia — and why the revolution has failed to stop it.

And Christian Caryl explains how the fate of one woman is complicating Ukraine’s European dream.

And now for this week’s recommended reads:

The Overseas Development Institute presents a must-read infographic about the relationship between democracy and economic development.

Reporting for Reuters, Kanupriya Kapoor and Randy Fabi investigate Indonesia’s fiercely independent anti-corruption commission, and find that its future rests on the public.

The Daily Star Lebanon warns that the Syrian rebels’ battle for the Qalamoun region may only make matters worse for refugees.

Writing for Al-Monitor, Amberin Zaman finds that Turkey is scaling back its support of Syrian Islamists.

At the Atlantic Council website, Amani Al-Khatahtbeh argues that Jordan is a black hole for free speech and activism.

In Tablet, Samuel Tadros looks at Egyptian General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s options as he contemplates whether to run for the presidency. (In the photo above, an Egyptian protester runs from tear gas during anti-military demonstrations in Tahrir Square.)

The Open Society Justice Initiative and Muslims for Human Rights scrutinize Kenya’s counterterrorism efforts and uncover a startling array of human rights abuses.

Reporters Without Borders launches a campaign against the Sochi Olympics for its abuse of independent journalists.

The Center for International Private Enterprise explores techniques for building "entrepreneurship ecosystems" — and concludes that the effort starts with democracy.