Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law

The Program on American Democracy seeks to understand problems such as ineffective governance, gridlock and polarization, and declining trust in institutions in the United States in comparative perspective, with particular attention to the structure and functioning of other established democracies.

The Program on Arab Reform and Democracy at the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law at Stanford University examines the different social and political dynamics within Arab countries and the evolution of their political systems, focusing on the prospects, conditions and possible pathways for democratic reform in the region.

The Global Infrastructure Policy Research Initiative is a new research program at CDDRL headed by Michael Bennon. The Program will conduct research on policies to promote infrastructure development around the world, and how they interact with global democracy and politics, paying special attention to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, as both an engine of development and an instrument for the projection of Chinese influence globally.

Global Populisms project examines the global surge in populist movements and what it means for established democratic rules and institutions.

The Governance Project seeks to better conceptualize and measure governance. Initially, we are trying to understand how it functions in two societies ­­— the Peoples Republic of China and the United States but also expanding to additional countries. Led by FSI senior fellow and Mosbacher Director of CDDRL Francis Fukuyama, the project begins with the premise that governance is a characteristic of modern polities concerning the delivery of public services that is different from either democratic institutions or the rule of law.

Established in 2010 and led by Professor Beatriz Magaloni, the Poverty, Violence and Governance Lab is dedicated to the study of the causes and consequences of criminal violence in the developing world and to the design and evaluation of interventions that reduce crime and improve security in areas of weak governance. With a focus on Latin America, where more than 30% of the world's homicides occur, our Lab uses the most advanced analytical tools in the social sciences to understand what works and what doesn’t to control violence, improve the performance and accountability of security institutions and the police, reduce human rights violations, and provide opportunities for at-risk youth.

The Program on Turkey is a platform for critical analysis and research on politics and society in Turkey. Through research projects, speaker events, and conferences, the Program seeks to provide and facilitate an understanding of the changing internal dynamics and external relations of the country in connection with global and regional developments and highlight potential agents and viable pathways for a democratic and sustainable future.

The World House Project curates audiovisual resources, produces educational materials, and fosters collaboration between social justice organizations to realize Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision of a just and nonviolent future.