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.
Tom Tugendhat Is the British MP China Hates Most
A stalwartly anti-Beijing figure doesn’t quite fit his party’s mold.
‘War on Disease’ Is a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
The mindset that helped fight the current pandemic is what gets us into situations like this in the first place.
It’s the Roads, Stupid
Armed checkpoints along key trade routes—not natural resources—are the key to financing rebel groups and insurgencies around the world.
The Sneaky Conservatism of China’s Feminist Dramas
As Beijing limits women’s choices, ta shidai television shows soothe without offering real change.
Is Macron the New Merkel?
The French president has charted a new kind of centrism in Europe.
Unlucky Tokyo Rolls the Olympic Dice—Again
With cancellation so prominent in Japan’s Olympic history, Tokyo 2021 has emerged as a cautionary tale.
Asia’s Stakes in the Biden-Putin Summit
Geopolitical shifts have put a U.S.-Russian detente in the interest of much of Asia.
What’s the Point of the G-7?
As Biden attends the summit, it’s worth asking whether this group—or other alliances of democracies—can really get anything done.
Peru’s Electoral Earthquake
A slate of weak parties has brought a little-known political organizer to the brink of the presidency.
Biden’s First G-7 Kicks Off in Cornwall
A pledge to deliver 1 billion vaccine doses worldwide has already grabbed headlines before the summit begins.
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.