By Justin Kempf Over the past year I have tried my best to keep up with the latest trends on democracy and political science. It's not easy, because amazing writers and scholars publish so many outstanding books every year. So, it's only natural that I have missed out on a number of titles. In fact,... Continue Reading →
Lynette Ong Describes How China Outsources Repression
Lynette Ong is a professor of political science at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto. She is the author of the recent book Outsourcing Repression: Everyday State Power in Contemporary China. Become a Patron! Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. The state is able to... Continue Reading →
Olga Onuch and Henry Hale Describe the Zelensky Effect
Olga Onuch is a Senior Lecturer in Politics at the University of Manchester. Henry E. Hale is a Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at George Washington University. They are the authors of a new book called The Zelensky Effect. Become a Patron! Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. I just want... Continue Reading →
Elizabeth Economy in a Wide Ranging Conversation About China
Elizabeth C. Economy is serving as the Senior Advisor for China to the Secretary of Commerce. She is on leave from her role as a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. Previously she served as the Asia Director at the Council for Foreign Relations. Her past books include The Third Revolution: Xi Jinping and the New... Continue Reading →
How Does Buddhism Shape Constitutional Law?
By Justin Kempf A review of Buddhism and Comparative Constitutional Law edited by Tom Ginsburg and Benjamin Schonthal. Buddhism and Constitutional LawOver the past year I have made a real effort to explore constitutional law. Americans talk quite a bit about their constitution, but they know very little about constitutions in other countries. They often presume... Continue Reading →
A Review of House of the People by Ronojoy Sen
By Justin Kempf A review of House of the People: Parliament and the Making of Indian Democracy by Ronojoy Sen House of the People For the past several years most of the popular literature on Indian democracy has focused on its shortcomings. So many books and articles fixate on Narendra Modi, Hindu Nationalism, and threats to... Continue Reading →
Mohammed Ali Kadivar on Paths to Durable Democracy and Thoughts on the Protests in Iran
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 →
Emilee Booth Chapman Has Ideas About Voting with Profound Implications
Emilee Booth Chapman is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Stanford University. Her most recent book is Election Day: How We Vote and What It Means for Democracy. Become a Patron! Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. There is this idea on the one hand of this mass collective participation, but on... Continue Reading →
Liberalism in an Illiberal Region
By Justin Kempf A review of Quest for Democracy: Liberalism in the Modern Arab World by Line Khatib Liberalism in the Modern Arab World On July 25th, 2021 Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed suspended parliament and dismissed Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi. It marked the collapse of the last remaining democracy to emerge from the Arab Spring.... Continue Reading →
Why Presidential Transitions Matter
By David Marchick, Alexander Tippett, and Valerie Smith Boyd Presidential Transitions in American History Asked what kind of government the Constitutional Convention had created for the new United States, Benjamin Franklin replied, “A republic—if you can keep it.” Franklin’s prescience became evident when, 235 years later, President Trump refused to recognize the outcome of the... Continue Reading →