Thomas Carothers

This is the first comprehensive, even-handed examination of U.S. policy in Latin America during the Reagan era. Drawing on interviews with United States officials and his own perspective as a former State Department lawyer, Carothers sheds new light on the much-discussed U.S. involvements in Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Panama, and turns up varied and often unexpected findings in less-studied countries such as Bolivia, Costa Rica, Paraguay, and Chile.

A new lens on development is changing the world of international aid. The overdue recognition that development in all sectors is an inherently political process is driving aid providers to try to learn how to think and act politically. Major donors are pursuing explicitly political goals alongside their traditional socioeconomic aims and introducing more politically informed methods throughout their work. Yet these changes face an array of external and internal obstacles, from heightened sensitivity on the part of many aid-receiving governments about foreign political interventionism to inflexible aid delivery mechanisms and entrenched technocratic preferences within many aid organizations. This pathbreaking book assesses the progress and pitfalls of the attempted politics revolution in development aid and charts a constructive way forward. Introduction 1. The New Politics Agenda The Original 1960s-1980s 2. Apolitical Roots Breaking the Political 1990s-2000s 3. The Door Opens to Politics 4. Advancing Political Goals 5. Toward Politically Informed Methods The Way Forward 6. Politically Smart Development Aid 7. The Unresolved Debate on Political Goals 8. The Integration Frontier Conclusion 9. The Long Road to Politics

Aid to promote democracy abroad has emerged as a major growth industry in recent years. Not only the United States but many other Western countries, international institutions, and private foundations today use aid to support democratic transitions in Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. Though extensive in scope, these activities remain little understood outside the realm of specialists. Debates among policymakers over democracy promotion oscillate between unhelpful poles of extreme skepticism and unrealistic boosterism, while the vast majority of citizens in aid-providing countries have little awareness of the democracy-building efforts their governments sponsor. Aiding Democracy Abroad is the first independent, comprehensive assessment of this important new field. Drawing on extensive field research and years of hands-on experience, Thomas Carothers examines democracy-aid programs relating to elections, political parties, governmental reform, rule of law, civil society, independent media, labor unions, decentralization, and other elements of what he describes as "the democracy template" that policymakers and aid officials apply around the world. Steering a careful path between the inflated claims of aid advocates and the exaggerated criticisms of their opponents, Carothers takes a hard look at what such programs achieve and how they can be improved.

Demand for practical knowledge and lessons about how the United States and other countries can more effectively promote democracy around the world has never been higher. This timely book by Thomas Carothers, one of the foremost authorities worldwide on democracy building, helps meet that need. Critical Mission draws together a wide-ranging set of Carothers's many seminal, widely cited essays, organized around four vital themes: the role of democracy promotion in U.S. foreign policy the core elements of democracy aid the state of democracy in the world the new U.S. push to promote democracy in the Middle East From puncturing myths about promoting civil society to sizing up the prospects for democracy in the Arab world, Carothers is consistently penetrating, incisive, and challenging to policymakers, democracy activists, and scholars alike.The book also includes the only up-to-date, comprehensive bibliography on democracy promotion.

Beset with persistent problems of self-interest, corruption, ideological incoherence, and narrow electoral majorities, political parties are the weakest link in many democratic transitions around the world. A large and ever-growing number of U.S., European, and multilateral assistance programs seek to help parties become effective pro-democratic actors. But given the depth of the problems, is success possible? C onfronting the Weakest Link is a pathbreaking study of international aid for political parties. Beginning with a penetrating analysis of party shortcomings in developing and postcommunist countries, Thomas Carothers draws on extensive field research to diagnose chronic deficiencies in party aid, assess its overall impact, and offer practical ideas for doing better. This critical analysis spans Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. It sheds invaluable light on a major element of the contemporary challenge of democracy building, a subject now occupying center stage in the international policy arena.

Readers will learn about coach Geno Auriemma and the record-breaking University of Connecticut women's basketball program. This title features informative sidebars, a timeline, a glossary, and team file filled with awards and records held by team members. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Learn more about players whose breakout achievements could not be maintained in the long run. From Mark Fidrych to Jeremy Lin, each chapter highlights a one-hit wonder from sports' history. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing Company.

In recent years, assistance aimed at promoting democracy abroad has become a major component of U.S. foreign aid and of the U.S. government's post-Cold War policy of seeking to enlarge the international community of democratic nations. Despite its rapid growth, however, democracy assistance remains poorly understood in practice and its value is frequently questioned. This landmark study, an examination of U.S. democracy assistance efforts in Romania, is the first comprehensive analysis of the workings—and failings—of U.S. democracy assistance in one country. Based on the author's extensive field research, the study provides widely applicable answers to key questions about the value, strategies, methods, and future of such assistance.

From the World Cup to the Olympics to professional leagues, soccer is the most popular sport in the world. It has enthusiastic fans, an exciting history, and some of the best athletes in the world. This series will look at huge moments and teams from across history. Each book will feature colorful storytelling that will bring the sportâ??s biggest moments to life. Super Soccer is a canâ??t-miss series for any soccer fan.

From the World Cup to the Olympics to professional leagues, soccer is the most popular sport in the world. It has enthusiastic fans, an exciting history, and some of the best athletes in the world. This series will look at huge moments and teams from across history. Each book will feature colorful storytelling that will bring the sport's biggest moments to life. Super Soccer is a can't miss series for any soccer fan. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Thrilling upsets are part of what makes professional soccer so exciting! Sometimes, a team that barely makes it to the playoffs can win it all on a penalty kick for the league championship. Learn about the most exciting upsets and underdog moments in soccer through exciting photos and action-packed text.

This title introduces soccer fans to the history of one of the top MLS clubs, Orlando City SC. The title features informative sidebars, exciting photos, a timeline, team facts, a glossary, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

This title introduces soccer fans to the history of one of the top MLS clubs, the Philadelphia Union. The title features informative sidebars, exciting photos, a timeline, team facts, a glossary, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

This title introduces soccer fans to the history of one of the top MLS clubs, Columbus Crew SC. The title features informative sidebars, exciting photos, a timeline, team facts, a glossary, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Thrilling upsets are part of what makes professional soccer so exciting! Sometimes, a team that barely makes it to the playoffs can win it all on a penalty kick for the league championship. Learn about the most exciting upsets and underdog moments in soccer through exciting photos and action-packed text.

Learn more about the greatest moments in Olympic soccer history with chapters covering the best matches for men's and women's Olympic soccer. This book includes informative sidebars, high-energy photos, and a glossary. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Learn more about biggest women's soccer event in the world, the women's World Cup. Chapters cover rivalries and underdogs in the finals. This book includes informative sidebars, high-energy photos, and a glossary. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Readers will learn about the history of the football program at Oklahoma State University. The title features informative sidebars, a timeline, statistics, a glossary, and additional resources. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Learn more about the history of legendary Italian club Juventus The title features a timeline, a glossary, and the author's all-time dream team. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing Company.