By Fabio Angiolillo Protests in China The current protests in China are not yet a threat to regime survival, still they deliver an important message from young and highly educated citizens: Listen to us! Spontaneous protests have taken place across major Chinese cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and elsewhere. Young, highly educated, and relatively... Continue Reading →
Naunihal Singh is associate professor in the Department of National Security Affairs at the U.S. Naval War College and the author of Seizing Power: The Strategic Logic of Military Coups (2014). He recently wrote the article "The Myth of the Coup Contagion" in the Journal of Democracy. Become a Patron! Make a one-time Donation to... Continue Reading →
By María Isabel Puerta Riera Democracy Dies on the Net The news that Twitter reinstated former President Trump's account over the weekend sent shockwaves across the country and around the world. The suspension was motivated by the risk of the former president's insistence on rejecting the results of the 2020 Presidential Election would bring more violence. There... Continue Reading →
By Lynette H. Ong Anwar's Victory After nearly a week of political stalemate, Anwar Ibrahim, the leader of the opposition and long-time prime minister-in-waiting has successfully assembled an alliance of political parties to become the leader of the ruling coalition and the 10th Prime Minister of the country. His ruling coalition is made up of... Continue Reading →
By Lovise Aalen Cessation of Hostilities In an unexpected diplomatic breakthrough, the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) signed on November 2nd an agreement on a permanent cessation of hostilities (CoH), signalling a first step in ending a two-year war in the Ethiopian northernmost region, one of the least known, but most... Continue Reading →
By Michael Nwankpa A Brief History of Democracy in Nigeria Nigeria’s fledgling democracy boasts of six elections and three changes of government. All these have happened since 1999 when Nigeria returned to civilian government after 16 years of consecutive military regimes. Most describe this period as the Fourth Republic. The Fourth Republic is Nigeria’s longest democratic... Continue Reading →
Mohammad Ali Kadivar is an assistant professor of sociology and international studies at Boston College. He is the author of the book Popular Politics and the Path to Durable Democracy. Become a Patron! Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. It's been exciting and it's been overwhelming. It's exciting to see people are rising,... Continue Reading →
By Serhun Al Roadblocks to a Democratic Transition Almost a century ago, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founding father of modern Turkey, abolished the Ottoman caliphate and monarchy declaring a secular Republic with a European outlook. A century later, President Erdoğan has established a sultanistic regime over his twenty-year rule where many of his supporters embrace... Continue Reading →
By Evelyn Alsultany Crime, but Not a Hate Crime? On February 10, 2015 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Craig Hicks, a 46-year old white male car-parts salesperson, murdered his neighbors. They were three Muslim American students: Deah Barakat (age 23), his wife Yusor Abu-Salha (age 21), and her sister Razan Abu-Salha (age 19). He shot... Continue Reading →
by Justin Kempf Undemocratic Political Mobilization Nothing is more democratic than the popular participation of its citizens. Indeed, democratic regimes institutionalize political mobilization through elections where popular participation is widespread and encouraged. However, political mobilization is not always democratic. Some politicians mobilize their supporters to instill fear in their opponents. People may mobilize against other... Continue Reading →
