Politics & Diplomacy

Politics & Diplomacy

Healthy democratic societies are governed through the holding of elections, passage of policies through government institutions, and equal application of the law to all citizens. These activities influence not only the internal decisions of these societies, but also inform the ways countries interact with their regional and global neighbors, whether through direct bilateral ties or encompassed in larger international organizations.

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Whither America

New Atlanticist Mar 18, 2025

The Gaza cease-fire is over. What’s next from Israel, Hamas, and the US?

By Atlantic Council experts

In the early hours of March 18, Israel launched air strikes on Gaza, ending the two-month cease-fire. Atlantic Council experts answer pressing questions about the resumed conflict.
Conflict Israel
Whither America

New Atlanticist Mar 17, 2025

Enough carrots for Putin. For better negotiations, serve ‘maximum pressure’ instead.

By Benjamin L. Schmitt, Richard L. Morningstar, and Daniel Fried

Since Russia appears content for negotiations to move slowly, the Trump administration should turn up the pressure with new sanctions.
Conflict Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion
Whither America

Issue Brief Mar 13, 2025

Present without impact? How the Middle East perceives China’s diplomatic engagement

By Jonathan Fulton

Despite economic advancements and high-profile diplomatic engagements, China’s influence remains largely economic rather than political, Jonathan Fulton argues.
China Economy & Business

Content

Atlantic Council Strategy Paper Series

Dec 11, 2017

Whither America

By John Raidt

The United States faces threats from outside its borders, but also from within. The political system that once created a strong, prosperous, and united nation now sows division. This report, written by John Raidt, unpacks how the fuel—money—drives the cartel’s machinations as it interacts with and exploits amplifying forces—legal, structural, media, technological, and social.

Political Reform Politics & Diplomacy

AfricaSource

Dec 6, 2017

Africa’s political fault-lines: As Cameroon’s Anglophone crisis trends toward intensifying rhetoric and violence, how long can the movement last?

By Alexandra Fairbend

Cameroon’s crisis, which pits a marginalized group of English-speakers against the Francophone majority, has taken a dangerous turn. The conflict has its roots in the colonial era, when British and French territories were awkwardly combined to form modern-day Cameroon. Anglophones have wanted autonomy for decades, but in the past year, they have mounted a full-throated […]

Africa Corruption

Event Recap

Nov 30, 2017

Hacking the Election: Lessons from the DEF CON Voting Village

By Priscilla Kim

On October 10th, the Atlantic Council’s Cyber Statecraft Initiative and DEF CON hosted a public event on the vulnerabilities in US voting infrastructure and recommendations for a path forward in securing our democracy. Panelists included Ambassador Douglas Lute, former US permanent representative to NATO; Jeff Moss, founder of DEF CON and senior fellow for the […]

Cybersecurity Elections

New Atlanticist

Nov 30, 2017

Balkan Officials Have a Message for the EU and the United States: Stay Engaged

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Balkan officials on November 29 made a pitch for deeper US and European Union (EU) engagement with the region, noting that its stability is critical for a peaceful Europe. “Without a stable Balkans, there is no stable Europe,” said Srdjan Darmanović, Montenegro’s foreign minister. Albania’s foreign minister, Ditmir Bushati, highlighted US Secretary of State Rex […]

European Union International Organizations

Event Recap

Nov 28, 2017

Forging a new era in US-South African relations

By Africa Center

On Tuesday, November 29, the Africa Center at the Atlantic Council launched its newest report, Forging a New Era in US-South African Relations. Atlantic Council Vice President and Africa Center Director Dr. J. Peter Pham welcomed guests and underscored the need for a renewed US-South Africa relationship, which he said has taken on a lower […]

Africa Economy & Business

Report

Nov 28, 2017

Forging a New Era in US-South African Relations

By Anthony Carroll

As one of the African continent’s largest and most sophisticated economies, South Africa offers a myriad of opportunities for engagement with the United States on diplomatic, commercial, security, and social fronts. It is a self-sufficient, complex, and dynamic country in a struggling, complex, and dynamic region. Yet, the centrality of South Africa to the United […]

Africa Corruption

Issue Brief

Nov 27, 2017

Western options in a multipolar world

By Mathew J. Burrows

This paper examines both the possible scenarios for how the emerging multipolar world order could evolve and transatlantic options. It makes the case that, depending on how the West plays its cards, traditional Western values could end up enduring even if an exclusively Western-led order does not.

China Politics & Diplomacy

AfricaSource

Nov 21, 2017

Africa’s political fault-lines: How Cameroon’s unique linguistic cleavage is widening

By Alexandra Fairbend

The primary political fault line running through Cameroon, a country in Central Africa, is not ethnic, but linguistic – the population is divided between its English and French speaking parts. In recent months, the linguistic cleavage has started to widen, with increasing demands for Anglophone autonomy and secession. This amplification of decades-old divides is in […]

Africa Corruption

New Atlanticist

Nov 20, 2017

The Importance of Being Angela Merkel

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Chancellor is vital for European solidarity on Russia sanctions, says Atlantic Council’s Fran Burwell If German Chancellor Angela Merkel were to step down from her role it would create uncertainty over the fate of sanctions imposed on Russia in response to its actions in Ukraine, according to Fran Burwell, a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic […]

European Union Germany

Issue Brief

Nov 20, 2017

Partners or competitors? The future of the Iran-Russia power tandem in the Middle East

By John Herbst

Ambassador John Herbst, director of the Atlantic Council’s Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center, writes in a new issue brief entitled Partners or Competitors? The Future of the Iran-Russia Power Tandem in the Middle East that Russia and Iran are currently drawn into partnership over common regional interests and anti-American policies and sentiments despite centuries of historical […]

Iran Politics & Diplomacy
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Experts

Fellow

Heidi Hardt

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Transatlantic Security Initiative

Climate Change & Climate Action International Organizations

Millennium fellow

Tara Hariharan

Managing Director, Global Macro Research, NWI Management LP

Millennium Leadership Program

Americas Central Europe
Melinda Haring

Fellow

Melinda Haring

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Eurasia Center

Ukraine Civil Society

Fellow

David Hathaway

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Global China Hub

China Chinese

Fellow

Stefanie Hausheer Ali

Nonresident Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Economy & Business

Fellow

Volodymyr Havrylov

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Eurasia Center

Defense Policy English
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Events

Public Event Fri, May 8, 2026 • 10:00 am ET

Is Russia’s war machine running out of steam?
Europe & Eurasia Politics & Diplomacy Russia Security & Defense
Public Event Wed, May 13, 2026 • 9:00 am ET

The 2026 Iraq Dialogue
Geopolitics & Energy Security Iraq Middle East Politics & Diplomacy
Public Event Thu, May 14, 2026 • 4:00 pm ET

Trade over aid: Prosperity for the US and the developing world
Politics & Diplomacy Resilience & Society United States and Canada
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