Publication
Freedom & Democracy
Supporting Freedom
Advocating that freedom is universal, democracy is the best way to ensure freedom, and American global leadership is crucial to peace and prosperity.
“We know that free governments are the only way to ensure that the strong are just and the weak are valued. And we know that when we lose sight of our ideals, it is not democracy that has failed. It is the failure of those charged with preserving and protecting democracy.”
— President George W. Bush
Freedom worldwide has declined in both nascent and mature democracies for almost two decades, and authoritarian powers in Beijing, Tehran, Pyongyang, and Moscow have exploited this crisis.
American leadership, working closely with allies, is critical to supporting democracy and people struggling for liberty around the world. Doing so reinforces the importance of accountability and enhances the conditions for a more peaceful, prosperous, and free world.
The values that underpin democracy and human rights are not just American values – they are universal ones. Encouraging democratization and respect for human rights globally is essential to advancing American values, as well as our security and economic interests around the world.
The Bush Institute seeks to:
- Restore democracy and human rights as cornerstones of American foreign policy
- Expand bipartisan support for democracy activists under threat globally
- Support human rights and democracy globally through the efforts of our nonpartisan working group
- Put a human face on those struggling for freedom through stories and profiles
Our Team
David J. Kramer
Executive Director, George W. Bush Institute and Vice President
Elizabeth Kennedy Trudeau
The Bradford M. Freeman Managing Director, Global Policy
Jessica Ludwig
Fellow, Global Policy
Chris Walsh
Director, Freedom and Democracy
Joseph Kim
Program Manager, Global Policy
Celia Siade-Cox
Associate, Global Policy
Nicole Bibbins Sedaca
Kelly and David Pfeil Fellow
William McKenzie
Senior Editorial Advisor
Victor Cha
Senior Fellow
Democracy Talks
At the Bush Center, we’re concerned about the challenges to the health of democracies around the world. Populism is on the rise. Media and other independent institutions are under pressure. Human rights violations are ignored. Isolationism and authoritarianism are growing. And now democracies are faced with containing a pandemic while at the same time cherishing their longstanding freedoms.
Edited by William McKenzie, Senior Editorial Advisor at the Bush Institute, the Democracy Talks series presented here represents the latest in the Bush Institute’s volume of work on meeting the challenges to democracy.
The latest
Policy Recommendations · Aug 13, 2026
CRINK countries increasingly cooperate around the world. U.S. policy must reflect this new dynamic
CRINK may not be an alliance, but American strategy should be based in the fact that our adversaries understand, and exploit, the knowledge that when they help each other, it’s harder for America to confront them independently.
Video · Aug 12, 2026
Struggle for Freedom spotlight: Nazeela Elmi
Policy Recommendations · Jul 31, 2026
Americans should redouble support for the religious freedoms our nation was built on
The United States has long been a leader in advocating for freedom of religion or belief around the world – even before becoming a nation in the 1660s.
Article · Jul 27, 2026
From World Cup to the Olympics, Putting America's Best Foot Forward
For many World Cup visitors, the United States they encountered was very different from the caricature of politicians and social media. They found America, in all our exuberance and goofiness.
Article · Jul 23, 2026
Struggle for Freedom spotlight: Albert “Albie” Sachs
Sachs was a key player in the South Africa democratic transition that followed Apartheid, where he was among the founding judges of the new Constitutional Court.
Article · Jul 20, 2026
Cubans like activist-artist Otero Alcántara shouldn’t have to choose between home and a free life
Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara was sentenced to prison for “insulting national symbols,” “public disorder,” and “contempt” for posting on social media, singing songs of protest, and participating in public demonstrations -- suffering significant abuse and deprivation while in prison. He was recently released.