iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I spoke with WXXI’s Evan Dawson about Route 66, including how roadtrips can connect people. We also talked about politics, how we would not want AI to plan/drive the route for us, & why you should not accept gifts from oligarchs along the way. Listen at podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...

podcasts.apple.com

Valery Perry went on the road in search of democracy

Podcast Episode · Connections Podcast · September 28 · 51m

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Great chat with Eric Manton about “Adversarial Analysis,” a model of anti-democratic dynamics in the US. He looks at 4 factions: Corporatist Oligarchs, Christian Nationalists/Heritage, MAGA, & Dystopian Tech Bros - with Pres. Trump as the bonding agent. Listen at open.spotify.com/episode/2R9U...

open.spotify.com

DPC Talks with Eric Manton (U.S.)

DPC Voice - A Podcast from the Democratization Policy Council · Episode

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Great chat with Ivan Stefanovski in Skopje on the diminished credibility of the EU enlargement process among people in N Macedonia, the impact of US disengagement, & the bigger picture changing geopolitics that affect the country, the region & beyond. Listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/77H0...

open.spotify.com

DPC talks with Ivan Stefanovski (Skopje, North Macedonia)

DPC Voice - A Podcast from the Democratization Policy Council · Episode

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

I spoke with Nidzara Ahmetasevic about the glorification of war criminal Ratko Mladic, & the spectacle of his funeral in Belgrade. We discused these dynamics in the region & beyond, & how language, memory & denial can feed polarization, hate & fascism. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/d...

podcasts.apple.com

DPC talks with Nidzara Ahmetasevic (Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Podcast Episode · DPC Voice - A Podcast from the Democratization Policy Council · September 8 · 53m

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

I have long wanted to find corporate or other support to develop a line of Lego sets based on Bosnia and Herzegovina's amazing and underappreciated medieval fortresses..... This could be a first start. Please support! ideas.lego.com/product-idea...

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

The first 8 minutes of this covers reactions to Mladic’s death, & the ongoing & increasing trend of glorifying war criminals. I argue that a root cause of this is fundamentally unreformed education systems.

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Glad to see this important history is getting out into the public space... and that it shows people looked for methods of accountable self-government even before Athens introduced its version of democracy-

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

I spoke with Gresa Hasa about the Flamingo Revolution in Albania. While the use of violence against protestors served as a trigger, this bottom-up movement needs to be viewed in the context of 3 decades of frustration with the lack of transparency, pervasive corruption & weak rule of law.

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

I reviewed, Shifting paradigms. Three decades after the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement (H. Preljević, M. Mulalić, E. Hadžikadunić, M. Krupalija (eds.). Interesting contributions, but I wish some of the writers had sketched out positive visions for BiH beyond vague notions of an EU future.

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

I reviewed Justin Gest’s book, Democratic Drain: Global Migration and the Struggle for Democracy. The book looks at people making the choice to emigrate based not on economic motivations, but to live in a society that is grounded in democratic values: balkaninsight.com/2026/08/11/w...

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

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.

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

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.

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

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...

open.spotify.com

DPC talks with Randall Puljek-Shank (Lancaster, Pennsylvania)

DPC Voice · Episode

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

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-

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

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--

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

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:

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

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.....

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

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...

wxxinews.org

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.

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 30/12/2025

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.

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 27/12/2025

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...

youtube.com

The Mother Road turns 100! Some Top Route 66 sites and experiences

YouTube video by Valery Perry

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

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

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

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."

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

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

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

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...

fena.ba

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 ...

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

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...

wxxinews.org

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.

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

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...

youtube.com

Looking for Dayton

YouTube video by Valery Perry

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 22/11/2025

...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

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

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...

youtube.com

Looking for Dayton

YouTube video by Valery Perry

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

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

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

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...

atrocitystandinggroup.org

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 ...

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 14/10/2025

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...

youtube.com

BALKANS AND BLACK SEA PERSPECTIVES 2025

YouTube video by NATO Defense College Foundation

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 13/09/2025

If you're in or near Sarajevo be sure to stop by tonight for this show- great new talent---

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 10/09/2025

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...

nytimes.com

Meet the New ICE Recruits

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 08/09/2025

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-...

wired.com

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.

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 03/09/2025

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...

podcasts.apple.com

Why is democracy backsliding around the world?

Podcast Episode · Connections Podcast · 09/03/2025 · 51m

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 28/08/2025

"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.......

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 18/08/2025

Imagine the reaction by POTUS if USAID got it….

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

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...

democratizationpolicy.org

“Sharpie Geopolitics” in a Time of Complexity – Democratization Policy Council

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

Excellent live music?At the Ex-Yu Rock Centar tonight! Including some EKV:

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

What better way to start the week than with some live music!

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 05/08/2025

Another reason to check out the EYRC when in Sarajevo - an amazing collection of original artifacts---

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Reposted by Valery Perry

ex-yurockcentar.bsky.social @ex-yurockcentar.bsky.social · 26/07/2025

Here's an original concert poster and ticket from Dino Dvornik's concert at Dom mladih in Sarajevo on 13 March 1991. The concert was part of the 1990-1991 tour promoting the album "Kreativni Nered" which was released in 1990 on Jugoton.

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 26/07/2025

I picked up this flyer at the Museum of Yugoslavia in Belgrade in May. "The struggle for the University autonomy is becoming increasingly fierce." From a speech by Veljko Vlahovic, 1936. Important thinking at a time when unis are under increasing pressure, everywhere.

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

The final part of Peter Lippman's six part series on environmental threats and civic activism in Bosnia & Herzegovina is up… It explores the issue through a number of rivers that are being destroyed, a huge loss in a country that has some of Europe's last wild rivers: lefteast.org/grassroots-r...

lefteast.org

Grassroots Resistance to Environmental Destruction in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Part VI: Two, Three, Many Rivers: The Open Veins of Central Bosnia - Lefteast

Editors’ note: This article is the last of a six-part series. You can read the entire series here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5. It seems that at every place in Bosnia-Herzegovina where ...

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 23/07/2025

Pressman suggests Americans learn from the young people who took to the streets in Budapest; they should also learn from the students in Serbia who have been at it since November: www.nytimes.com/2025/07/23/o...

nytimes.com

Opinion | I Watched It Happen in Hungary. Now It’s Happening Here.

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Valery Perry @valeryperry.bsky.social · 23/07/2025

Come on Wirecutter, expand your horizons.... the best ice cream sandwich is definitely from Plazma....worth every calorie www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/r...

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