A growing number of authoritarian states are banning civil society activities, raising the prospect of spreading instability that should arouse action in Washington, says CFR’s Mark Lagon.

Myanmar’s emergence from military rule has also spawned some of the worst ethnic and religious violence in decades and fear of prolonged civil conflict, writes CFR’s Joshua Kurlantzick.

The worsening political crisis in Guinea will require stronger UN involvement and greater efforts on the part of African leaders to avoid what could become a civil war and a massive humanitarian cris…

In this Markets and Democracy Brief, CFR’s Mark Lagon argues for a more consistent approach to human rights promotion than the United States has often pursued in the past.