Institute of Democracy and Cooperation
Encyclopedia
Institute of Democracy and Cooperation is a think tank
with offices in Moscow
, Paris
and New York
. It was founded in 2008 by a Russian lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, and is funded by Russian NGOs and private businesses. It was set up to gain a hearing for Russian positions on global human rights
and democracy, and to expose perceived double standards by the West in this area. It works by publishing reports and inviting speakers, seeking to encourages all sides of the argument to be put. The Institute's Paris office is headed by historian and former parliamentarian Natalia Narochnitskaya
, while the New York office is headed by political scientist Andranik Migranyan. Philosopher and hisorian John Laughland
is Director of Studies in Paris. At the time of the institute's founding, Anatoly Kucherena said "We're not just planning to criticize the West". He said he hoped the institute's work would create healthy dialogue with Western human-rights and democracy advocates.
and non-interference
. It describes its aims as being
It describes its outlook on human rights and international relations as "broadly conservative", referring to its emphasis on the nation-state as the best framework for the realisation of human rights and a belief that "humanitarian intervention" is often counter-productive.
Grigorii Golosov, Professor at European University at St. Petersburg believes the initial impulse for creating the institute came from a comment by Vladimir Putin
, where he referred to EU-funded advocacy of democracy in Russia as to something that should be matched by Russia’s similar activities in Europe and elsewhere. Putin’s aide Sergei Yastrzhembsky explained that Mr Putin meant the European University at St. Petersburg that received a EU grant to implement a project on election monitoring in Russia, which Golosov led. Golosov notes that his university faced continuous harassment from the Russian authorities and was closed by the authorities on a pretext of "fire safety violations". At about the same time, the ‘Institute of Democracy and Cooperation’ was launched.
Christopher Walker of Freedom House
welcomed the Institute, but alleged that Russian NGOs lack the freedom that they will enjoy in the West.
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
with offices in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. It was founded in 2008 by a Russian lawyer, Anatoly Kucherena, and is funded by Russian NGOs and private businesses. It was set up to gain a hearing for Russian positions on global human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
and democracy, and to expose perceived double standards by the West in this area. It works by publishing reports and inviting speakers, seeking to encourages all sides of the argument to be put. The Institute's Paris office is headed by historian and former parliamentarian Natalia Narochnitskaya
Natalia Narochnitskaya
Nataliya Alekseevna Narotchnitskaya is a prominent Russian politician, historian and diplomat.Between 1982 and 1989 Natalia Narochnitskaya worked in a Soviet diplomatic mission with the United Nations in New York....
, while the New York office is headed by political scientist Andranik Migranyan. Philosopher and hisorian John Laughland
John Laughland
John Laughland is a British eurosceptic conservative journalist, academic and author who writes on international affairs and political philosophy.-Career:...
is Director of Studies in Paris. At the time of the institute's founding, Anatoly Kucherena said "We're not just planning to criticize the West". He said he hoped the institute's work would create healthy dialogue with Western human-rights and democracy advocates.
Focus
The Institute studies democracy and human rights in Europe and the United States and promotes the ideal of sovereigntySovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
and non-interference
Non-interference
Non-interference is a strict multilevel security policy model, first described by Goguen and Meseguer in 1982, and amplified further in 1984.-Introduction:In simple terms, a computer is modeled as a machine with inputs and outputs...
. It describes its aims as being
It describes its outlook on human rights and international relations as "broadly conservative", referring to its emphasis on the nation-state as the best framework for the realisation of human rights and a belief that "humanitarian intervention" is often counter-productive.
Response
Initial reactions have been that the Institute will have to overcome suspicions that it is "little more than another image-building tool for a Kremlin desiring a more prominent place in world affairs."Grigorii Golosov, Professor at European University at St. Petersburg believes the initial impulse for creating the institute came from a comment by Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
, where he referred to EU-funded advocacy of democracy in Russia as to something that should be matched by Russia’s similar activities in Europe and elsewhere. Putin’s aide Sergei Yastrzhembsky explained that Mr Putin meant the European University at St. Petersburg that received a EU grant to implement a project on election monitoring in Russia, which Golosov led. Golosov notes that his university faced continuous harassment from the Russian authorities and was closed by the authorities on a pretext of "fire safety violations". At about the same time, the ‘Institute of Democracy and Cooperation’ was launched.
Christopher Walker of Freedom House
Freedom House
Freedom House is an international non-governmental organization based in Washington, D.C. that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom and human rights...
welcomed the Institute, but alleged that Russian NGOs lack the freedom that they will enjoy in the West.