oD Plugs

Even now, much of that group-think remains evident in Washington. The latest issue of Foreign Policy magazine asserts that "the US projection of power into Afghanistan and Iraq, and today's tensions with Russia over the political fate of central Asia and the Caucasus, have only bolstered Mackinder's thesis". In a new essay for opendemocracy.net, Prince Hassan of Jordan has similarly spoken of how "the struggle for control of the 'energy ellipse' from Eurasia to the Straits of Hormuz" has revealed the resonance of Mackinder's thinking "for the political power plays of today".

For a much richer, more nuanced report on what is actually happening inside Iran now and on how and how not to respond to these developments, read Mahmood Delkasteh in OpenDemocracy. I can't vouch for Delkasteh's claim to have participated in the 1979 revolution, but his stunning piece also links an Open Democracy symposium and other commentaries published there on Iran that are among the very best I've found. Here is a website that has earned its distinction because its contributors believe in democracy intelligently, not ideologically, opportunistically, or in terms of Wilsonian power-wielding that so often asphyxiates the democratic power it claims to promote.

Issues and Analysis By Region By Topic By AWID Initiative By Type of Content Issues and Analysis Library Library Iranian Elections 2009: A New Spring?

New partnership between cit-J agency and pro-democracy site

'Love Match' of pro-democracy and cit-j site to reinvigorate reporting

I elaborated on last week's rejoinder to David Carr on what to do about the yellowing newspaper business in a talk to a University of Westminster (London) conference. If you're interested, you can read a slightly cleaned up text on openDemocracy.

Sul sito dell'organizzazione britannica per la difesa dei dirittiumani e della democrazia nuovi interrogativi per il premier Dall'inglese Open Democracyaltre 10 domande a Berlusconi

Russian industrial town meets economic crisis with defiance

Letter from Lipetsk, Oksana ZagrebnyevaOn the whole I often think that we live in defiance.  In defiance of the crisis, the falling salaries and growing prices, in defiance of the fact that we can't plan our budget.  And in defiance of everything I got married during the crisis - no pomp

Is the book dead? Well, yes and no: Booking the future | open Democracy News Analysis

When the processes by which people are represented become sick, says Curzon Price, then we should not be surprised; representation pops up where it can.

Gender and democracy: No shortcuts to power

Open Democracy. Leading global news site with in-depth articles and debates on subjects ranging from the creation and purpose of a united Europe to motorway culture and the world climate after September 11th. Includes excellent list of web resources about the current situation in the Middle East.