About Democracy Lab
Democracy Lab is Foreign Policy's home for coverage of transitions to democracy, published in partnership with the Legatum Institute. Democracy Lab also runs Transitions, a blog featuring on-the-ground coverage of transitioning countries.
Editor, Christian Caryl
Assistant Editor, Ilya Lozovsky
Learn more about Democracy Lab here.
The Doomed Voyage of Pepsi’s Soviet Navy
A three-decade dream of communist markets ended in the scrapyard.
Ethiopia’s Breakup Doesn’t Have to Be Violent
A confederation of states must choose whether to follow the bloody path of the former Yugoslavia or the prosperous model of the European Union.
Modi’s Growing Crackdown on Bollywood
India’s film industry is under growing pressure to bend its knee to Hindu nationalists.
The Best Books We Read in 2021
A roundup of some of our favorite reads this year.
5 Games That Explain The World
From the Islamic Revolution in Tehran to fuzzy animals playing counterinsurgents, these board and video games are inspired by foreign relations.
Will Honduras’s Election Lead to Mass Migration?
Repressive rule, and the utter despair that follows, has already had a significant impact on people fleeing to the United States.
How the Belarus Crisis Boosted Poland’s Ruling Party
By focusing on an external enemy, the Law and Justice Party is trying to transform its image in Brussels and beyond.
In Nigeria, Yam Prices Soar, and Culture Suffers
Yams mean wealth, power, and the holidays—if you can afford them.
A Squabble About History Almost Killed Xi Jinping’s Father
Fights about the party’s past are serious business in Beijing.
Galleries
The Week in World Photos
Global protests against government-imposed lockdowns, gang violence in El Salvador, and hat tips to medical staff.
The Week in World Photos
A prayerful start to Ramadan, medical workers on the front lines of a pandemic, and the annual Lyrids meteor shower.
In the Magazine
In the Magazine
How to Save Global Capitalism From Itself
Decentralizing decision-making can help left-behind regions get back on track.
Britain’s Post-Brexit Identity Crisis
Boris Johnson has contradictory ideas for his country’s future—and no clear paths for getting there.
The Ugly End of Chimerica
The coronavirus pandemic has turned a conscious uncoupling into a messy breakup.
The 3 Most Polarizing Words in India
“Jai Shri Ram” was meant to be a celebration of a Hindu deity. But the phrase is turning into hate speech—and a dog whistle for attacks on Muslims.