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 Prof Shahram Akbarzadeh, Convenor of Middle East Studies Forum, Deakin University. He is the author of Middle East Politics and International Relations: Crisis Zone. You can follow him on Twitter at @S_Akbarzadeh Widespread protests against the ruling regime in Iran have raised serious questions about the future. Will the regime survive this popular expression of dissent?... Continue Reading →
Become a Patron! Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. What are Radical Politics? The polarization of American politics has brought about a paradigm shift in the meaning of what we call radical politics. Typically, people think of radical politics as shorthand for political extremism. However, extremists focus on policies, while radicals challenge institutions themselves.... Continue Reading →
Become a Patron! Order Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way's Revolution and Dictatorship: The Violent Origins of Durable Authoritarianism. Available for sale this week. Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Why Social Revolutions Are Not Democratic Typically democracy enthusiasts think of revolutions as a positive development. They imagine ruthless dictators toppled through massive nonviolent protests.... Continue Reading →
Become a Patron! Preorder Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way's Revolution and Dictatorship: The Violent Origins of Durable Authoritarianism here. Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. Can Other Countries Replicate the China Model? In this week's podcast, Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way refer to China as among the most notable revolutionary regimes. They argue its revolutionary... Continue Reading →
Become a Patron! Preorder Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way's Revolution and Dictatorship: The Violent Origins of Durable Authoritarianism here. Revolutions and Counterrevolutionary Reaction Successful revolutions depend on counterrevolutionary reaction. Without counterrevolutionary response a revolutionary regime fails to establish the foundations for a durable long lasting regime. It's absolutely counterintuitive, but makes perfect sense for those who... Continue Reading →
Lucan Way is a professor of political science at the University of Toronto and Co-Director of the Petro Jacyk Program for the Study of Ukraine. Steven Levitsky is the David Rockefeller Professor of Latin American Studies, professor of government, and director of the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies at Harvard University. They are... Continue Reading →
Become a Patron! Preorder Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way's Revolution and Dictatorship: The Violent Origins of Durable Authoritarianism here. Revolutions and Durable Authoritarianism Revolutionary governments capture the imagination. Their origins have mythic qualities. Those involved become heroes and villains of epic proportions. Moreover, the regimes they establish frequently survive for generations. Indeed, most of the revolutionary... Continue Reading →
Become a Patron! Urban Revolutions Revolution has changed over the past forty years. It has transformed from violent civil wars into massive mobilizations of unarmed protesters. However, Mark Beissinger believes the most important change in revolutions involves where events take place. He argues revolutions have moved from the countryside into cities. Moreover, the difference between... Continue Reading →
Why Don't Russians Revolt? As sanctions continue to devastate the Russian economy, some have hoped the Russian people might rise up in revolt. However, Vladimir Putin's approval ratings have remained high or even increased. Of course, it's difficult to ascertain the genuine level of support in such a repressive environment. But plenty of anecdotal evidence... Continue Reading →
