Global Democracy Series: The Future of US Development and Democracy Promotion with Thomas Carothers, from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

In this special episode of Global Stage, democracy promotion expert Thomas Carothers joins Kellogg Doctoral Affiliate Patrick McQuestion for a conversation from the Kellogg Institute’s Global Democracy Conference, held in Washington, DC, on May 12 and 13, 2025. Drawing from decades of experience, Carothers provides insight into the origins of development aid in the United States since the 1980s and the ideological dilemmas at home and abroad around the role of the US supporting democracy around the world. Carothers addresses the fundamental benefits of liberal democracy in contrast to autocratic alternatives, and the important role of universities in convening and bringing knowledge to bear on current affairs.