This session will explore standards used to measure political and civil freedoms throughout the world. We will then review the history of modern democracies from the 19th century onward and then discuss the factors that have influenced the inauguration of the transitions to democracy as well as the social conditions fostering democracy. We will then examine the types of democracies that have emerged, focusing on non-violent tactics employed in these transitions, and discuss whether there is a human right to democracy. The session will conclude by analyzing the roles that civil society organizations play in transitions to democracy.
