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United States Institute of Peace

Geoffrey Macdonald, Ph.D.

Visiting Expert

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Dr. Geoffrey Macdonald is a visiting expert on South Asia at USIP.

Dr. Macdonald is also a senior advisor in the Asia-Pacific division at the International Republican Institute (IRI), where he currently focuses on research and program strategy in Asia. Previously, Dr. Macdonald was IRI’s Bangladesh country director, overseeing the design, implementation, evaluation and financial management of U.S. government-funded programs on civil society capacity building, youth civic education, minority rights, political party strengthening, and countering violent extremism. Dr. Macdonald has also taught political science at George Washington University, Grinnell College and other institutions.

Dr. Macdonald’s research focuses on political and extremist violence, democratic design, conflict management, and comparative politics with a regional focus on Bangladesh and South Asia. He holds a doctorate from the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies and was awarded a Fulbright research scholarship to India in 2012-2013.

Dr. Macdonald’s writing has been published by the Journal of Democracy, The Washington Post, Foreign Policy, the Council on Foreign Relations, and various other academic and policy outlets.

Publications By Geoffrey

Bangladesh’s Revolution Remains Unfinished

Bangladesh’s Revolution Remains Unfinished

Monday, August 19, 2024

By: Geoffrey Macdonald, Ph.D.

On August 5, a student-led revolution toppled Bangladesh’s increasingly repressive prime minister, Sheikh Hasina. After 15 years in power, her government’s sudden and improbable collapse creates the possibility for a new era in Bangladesh. Democratic champions are reinvigorated, but instability and violence will grow in the near term and countervailing forces will likely emerge to blunt progress. Bangladesh’s revolutionary moment is not yet a revolution. Only sustained and deliberate political reform can finish what the students started. The United States can help.

Type: Analysis

Democracy & Governance

Bangladesh’s Accidental Revolutionaries Topple Sheikh Hasina — What’s Next?

Bangladesh’s Accidental Revolutionaries Topple Sheikh Hasina — What’s Next?

Tuesday, August 6, 2024

By: Geoffrey Macdonald, Ph.D.

Bangladesh has experienced its most consequential political event in at least two decades. On June 6, one day after Bangladesh’s high court reinstated the country’s job quota system that favored descendants of the 1971 liberation war, about 500 students gathered at Dhaka University to demand its repeal. Two months later, on August 5, Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who had governed  for 15 years, abdicated power and fled the country as a coalition of Bangladeshi students, political opponents and ordinary citizens marched on her residence to demand her resignation. As the prime minister departed for India, the head of the army announced his plan to form an interim government in a televised address.

Type: Question and Answer

Democracy & Governance

What’s Behind Bangladesh’s Student Protests?

What’s Behind Bangladesh’s Student Protests?

Monday, July 22, 2024

By: Geoffrey Macdonald, Ph.D.

Bangladesh’s streets have again erupted with political violence. In early July, a university student protest began over Bangladesh's job quota system that disproportionately benefits the descendants of Bangladesh’s 1971 liberation war fighters, which many students view as unfair and outdated. Early last week, peaceful protests turned violent as police and ruling party supporters violently dispersed crowds. At least a half-dozen people died in early violence, including one man apparently shot by police with his hands raised, while pro- and anti-government students clashed around the country.

Type: Analysis

Democracy & Governance

How Have India’s Neighbors Reacted to Its Election?

How Have India’s Neighbors Reacted to Its Election?

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

By: Humayun Kabir;  Geoffrey Macdonald, Ph.D.;  Nilanthi Samaranayake;  Asfandyar Mir, Ph.D.

Narendra Modi was sworn in on June 9 for his third consecutive term as India’s prime minister. Public polls had predicted a sweeping majority for Modi, so it came as some surprise that his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lost ground with voters and had to rely on coalition partners to form a ruling government. Although India’s elections were fought mainly on domestic policy issues, there were important exceptions and Modi’s electoral setback could have implications for India’s regional and global policies.

Type: Analysis

Global Elections & Conflict;  Global Policy

A Perilous Moment for Bangladesh’s Democracy

A Perilous Moment for Bangladesh’s Democracy

Monday, March 4, 2024

By: Geoffrey Macdonald, Ph.D.

Bangladesh’s parliamentary elections in January cemented the country’s transition to a “dominant-party” political system. Aided by an opposition boycott on Election Day, the Awami League (AL) extended its 15 years in power with another five-year term, which will soon make Bangladesh’s prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, the world’s longest continuously serving female head of government in contemporary history. But political dominance comes with risk. Around the world, dominant-party systems often develop common maladies that harm the country’s governance. Ensuring competition across politics, government and the economy can forestall these problems.

Type: Analysis

Democracy & Governance;  Global Elections & Conflict

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