Valery Perry
@valeryperry.bsky.social
Thinking about accountable governance, the flavors of state capture being innovated & how people can learn the good from each other & not just the bad… an unexpected life journey from Buffalo to Sarajevo....my dog keeps me human...
I spoke with Mike Henning who spent 31 years with USAID until it was dismantled in 2025. We talked about lessons learned from work supporting democratic resilience globally, & what it means that the US has given up on its soft power influence that enabled comprehensive security for decades.
I spoke with Louis Monroy Santander about the recent elections in Colombia which saw a narrow win by a far-right populist candidate. The left/right split was notable & reflects a polarization that needs to be understood in the context of seven decades of violence in that country.
I spoke with Randall Puljek-Shank for DPC Voice about what drew him to work in conflict transformation, what brought him to Bosnia, and what it’s like doing activism now back in the United States at a time of substantial democratic challenge. Listen at: open.spotify.com/episode/3G3U...
DPC talks with Randall Puljek-Shank (Lancaster, Pennsylvania)
DPC Voice · Episode
open.spotify.com
So many people who talk about geopolitics see mostly airports and hotel conferences rooms when "in the field." This trip was illuminating on many fronts-
Kurt Bassuener@kurtbassuener.bsky.social · 2mo ago10 days, 2800km of driving, 4 countries(🇧🇦 🇷🇸🇷🇴🇲🇩), 6 cities, numerous meetings along the way, lots of learning curve. Now first morning in sweet home #Sarajevo. @dpcglobal.bsky.social, @geopower-eu.bsky.social, @valeryperry.bsky.social, @omemisevic.bsky.social, Pavle Fukarek, @horizoneu.bsky.social
The citizens of BiH - citizens everywhere - should know what their representatives are being pressured to sign when it comes to extraction deals (or ANY deals); the lack of transparency on the SIC is just one of the issues Pippa and I discussed--
Kurt Bassuener@kurtbassuener.bsky.social · 3mo agoMy colleague Valery Perry speaks to @pippagallop.bsky.social of @ceebankwatch.bsky.social on the Southern Interconnection (SIC) pipeline, which has been pushed forward here in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) with considerable velocity by the US Govt. 👇
Growing up in Buffalo with Canada just over the Niagara River, the deterioration of the relationship between the US and Canada over the past year is painfully acute. I was glad to see the Rochester daily, the Democrat & Chronicle, publish a piece I submitted shortly after the recent tumult in Davos:
I"m glad Kurt is doing the math - this is the craven zero-sum politics mentality that will make everyone worse off. Looking at a complex world as if it was the game board in Risk is never a good idea.....
Kurt Bassuener@kurtbassuener.bsky.social · 7mo agoRemember "expand our territory" at inauguration? I remember in the 1st term I added square miles of US w Greenland. georank.org/size/united-... But the sum would still be smaller than Russia: 4,630,430 sq miles vs 6,601,665. 1/
Were the Trump administration’s actions in Venezuela the first chance to see what operationalization of the new US National Security Strategy looks like? I talked about this on “Connections with Evan Dawson” @WXXINews www.wxxinews.org/show/connect...
What does American action in Venezuela mean for democracy abroad?
In the first hour of "Connections with Evan Dawson" on 1/8/26, a democratization policy expert discusses potential repercussions of the Trump administration's attempts to strong-arm other nations.
wxxinews.org
Useful reminder that the application of ink to paper is only the first step of a process that requires dedication and support to people who want peace, and the marginalization of spoilers who profit from conflict and chaos at the expense of regular people.
Kurt Bassuener@kurtbassuener.bsky.social · 7mo agoSome reflections by @dpcglobal.bsky.social's @valeryperry.bsky.social and me in here. www.democratizationpolicy.org/reflection-o...
Route 66 turns 100 in 2026! If you're thinking about hitting the Mother Road, check out some tips and ideas in this highlights video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=agk9...
The Mother Road turns 100! Some Top Route 66 sites and experiences
YouTube video by Valery Perry
youtube.com
There is little doubt that the new US National Security Strategy at least provides clarity; the question is whether democratic states who have lost an ally will finally abandon their complacency and resignation
Toby Vogel 🇪🇺@tobyvogel.bsky.social · 8mo ago@valeryperry.bsky.social and myself on the need for liberal democracies to stand up to a bullying US, a propos of the new National Security Strategy On DPC's website: www.democratizationpolicy.org/europe-must-... LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/pulse/europe...
Good review of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.... As the US trashes allies and embraces $$ this caught my eye: "Although eight countries abstained from the UDHR—South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and six countries from the Soviet bloc—no country voted against it, making the vote unanimous."
Heather Cox Richardson (TDPR)@hcrichardson.bsky.social · 8mo agoDecember 10, 2025
Excellent analysis and a reminder that while resistance against democratic threats does not have a 100% chance of success, continued complacency will have a 100% chance of failure
Toby Vogel 🇪🇺@tobyvogel.bsky.social · 8mo agoBeen thinking a lot about the European response to the new US National Security Strategy (followed up by Trump's interview). Europeans panicked after J.D.'s Munich speech and Zelenskyy's humiliation in the White House but then got complacent when US policy seemed to resume its usual course.
I will be curious to see what this report says, as the constitution that was included in Annex 4 of the Dayton Peace Agreement will never, ever be good for women because it is inherently a reactionary and regressive structure www.fena.ba/article/1654...
British Embassy Sarajevo to present report on gender dimension of the Dayton Peace Agreement
SARAJEVO, December 1 (FENA) – The British Embassy in Sarajevo is organizing the conference “From Analysis to Action: Gender Dimensions of the Dayton Peace Agreement,” where a report examining how the ...
fena.ba
Evan Dawson @wxxirochester.bsky.social & I covered a lot of ground: 30 years of the Dayton Agreement; the deals proposed for Ukraine; & shifting tides as geopolitical transactionalists aim to displace the notion of comprehensive security grounded in human rights www.wxxinews.org/show/connect...
How to end wars: learning from peace agreements of the past
In the first hour of "Connections with Evan Dawson" on 11/25/25, we reflect on lessons learned about war and conflict on the 30th anniversary of the Bosnian peace agreement.
wxxinews.org
Good perspective on Dayton 30 years later....... if you are interested in a lighter look on Dayton TWENTY years after the war, check out Looking for Dayton: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ_Q...
Looking for Dayton
YouTube video by Valery Perry
youtube.com
Kurt Bassuener@kurtbassuener.bsky.social · 8mo agoExcellent documentary on #Dayton #BiH at 30 by @paulinawankiewicz.bsky.social, Andzrej Sadecki, & Team OSW. My @dpcglobal.bsky.social colleague @valeryperry.bsky.social & I among the 10 or so interviewees. www.youtube.com/watch?app=de...
...so many talks and retrospectives on Nov 21 marking 30 years after the Dayton Agreement, but a packed multi-generational crowd for legendary Belgrade band Partibrejkers at Sloga in Sarajevo showed the real energy and spirit of great music in a great city
As today marks the 30-year anniversary of the Dayton Peace Agreement, it's a good time to watch the film I did on the *20-year anniversary*, when a group of us tried to bring a human perspective to the peace agreement and what it meant then and now: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ_Q...
Looking for Dayton
YouTube video by Valery Perry
youtube.com
This is an excellent piece in a week when so many people are talking about Dayton 30 years on..... and often ignoring the role that "the west" has played in reinforcing the dysfunctional political economy enabled precisely by the Dayton structure
Kurt Bassuener@kurtbassuener.bsky.social · 9mo agoMy latest for Balkan Insight: my view of the speech that High Representative Christian Schmidt and Head of EU Delegation Luigi Soreca SHOULD deliver on the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Agreement on Friday in #Bosnia and Herzegovina. balkaninsight.com/2025/11/17/b...
The Standing Group on Atrocity Crimes published a brief today on threats facing Bosnia and Herzegovina & steps the UK Govt can take to reaffirm the rule of law & human rights, and enable the country to make progress that would benefit its citizens www.atrocitystandinggroup.org/news/special...
Policy Note - Critical Preventative Measures: Maintaining Bosnia’s Sovereignty, Peace, and Security — Standing Group on Atrocity Crimes
Policy Note: Critical Preventative Measures: Maintaining Bosnia’s Sovereignty, Peace, and Security. On 16 Oct 2025, the Standing Group on Atrocity Crimes published a policy briefing on the critical ...
atrocitystandinggroup.org
I was honored to be on a panel at the NATO Defense College Foundation Conference, “Building bridges: diffusing hybrid threats for regional stability” in Rome yesterday - www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtt5...
BALKANS AND BLACK SEA PERSPECTIVES 2025
YouTube video by NATO Defense College Foundation
youtube.com
If you're in or near Sarajevo be sure to stop by tonight for this show- great new talent---
@ex-yurockcentar.bsky.social · 11mo agoSee you tonight (Saturday, September 13th) for the promotion of BEZ's debut single "Ljetno Popodne" followed by a full concert of this up-and-coming band from Sarajevo!
So what happens to these newly employed (mostly) men enjoying well paying jobs if & when the country decides that it does not want a huge federal domestic paramilitary force? Will they be disposed of as easily as lab researchers & educators? www.nytimes.com2025/09/08/us/pol...
Meet the New ICE Recruits
nytimes.com
Even more importantly, there needs to be a policy on taxing robots / AI labor.... then if they decide to unionize, well, great... www.wired.com/story/model-...
Should AI Get Legal Rights?
Model welfare is an emerging field of research that seeks to determine whether AI is conscious and, if so, how humanity should respond.
wired.com
Just saying that this explains my tendency to support the underdog: www.buffalobills.com/video/bills-...
Bills vs. Ravens | INSANE COMEBACK By Buffalo | Full Game Highlights Week 1
The Buffalo Bills comeback from down 40-25 with 5 minutes remaining to stun the Baltimore Ravens 41-40 on a Matt Prater walk-off field goal.
buffalobills.com
Great chat with Evan Dawson today…. on how independent institutions & civil service are key to good governance, threats posed by the shadow docket & Trump's selective retribution, & future repairs to the US after this hacking of checks, balances & guardrails podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...
Why is democracy backsliding around the world?
Podcast Episode · Connections Podcast · 09/03/2025 · 51m
podcasts.apple.com
"For most of the park’s history, Disney was priced to welcome people across the income spectrum, embracing the motto “Everyone is a V.I.P.” In doing so, it created a shared American culture by providing the same experience to every guest." Well those days are over, Mickey.......
As we wait to see what will unfold in Alaska today, beware of Sharpie geopolitics in a world that requires complexity… I explore this idea more in the latest DPC blog: www.democratizationpolicy.org/sharpie-geop...
“Sharpie Geopolitics” in a Time of Complexity – Democratization Policy Council
democratizationpolicy.org
Very glad to see that Peter Lippman's work is getting attention among Italian audiences too - read a recent interview here: www.balcanicaucaso.org/bhs/zone/Bos...
Građanski aktivizam Petera Lippmana: udruživanje i otpor
Američki novinar i aktivist Peter Lipmann ima duboko znanje o Bosni i Hercegovini. Godinama prati političku i poslijeratnu situaciju u ovoj zemlji. U posljednje vrijeme posebno ga zanimaju ekološki po...
balcanicaucaso.org
