Alfred Stepan
Alfred Stepan is Professor of Government at Columbia University.
The US political system's checks and balances on government power had been weakened before the 2016 election. The outcome of the election, which has given the Republicans control of the presidency, th… read more
Countries like Singapore are often held up as proof that authoritarianism succeeds in fighting corruption. But, aside from this supposition’s profoundly anti-democratic implications, it also happens t… read more
Many commentators doubted whether democracy in Senegal, a country whose population is 95% Muslim, would survive its most recent presidential election, in which the incumbent, Abdoulaye Wade, sought a … read more
The future of one of Africa’s oldest democracies is at stake in Senegal’s presidential election on February 26. The incumbent, Abdoulaye Wade, formerly a leading advocate for democracy, has, at almost… read more
With protests fading in Cairo and Tunis, it is time to ask whether Tunisia and Egypt will complete democratic transitions. A successful transition in either country (or elsewhere in the region) would … read more
As Egypt’s revolution hangs in the balance, what factors are most likely to determine the outcome? While all eyes seem to be focused on the army, watching to see which way it will jump, other key ques… read more
Indonesia, with its firmly consolidated democracy, powerful women's-rights organizations, and embrace of pluralism, is often viewed as a model for the rest of the Muslim world. But what lessons are to… read more
The Chief Prosecutor of Turkey’s High Court of Appeals recently recommended to the country’s Constitutional Court that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) be permanently banned for eroding … read more
