Federico Taddei
At the start of 2026, a meme dubbed the 'nihilist penguin' went viral. But populist media pages and extreme-right accounts soon began using edits of the meme to spread nationalist and exclusionary content. Federico Taddei argues that when the alt-right exploits them, even seemingly apolitical social media trends can carry serious political implications Read more
Lisa Brünig
Germany recently passed incremental liberalisations to its abortion law. Yet access to abortion remains under threat, and far-right and conservative forces blocked its partial legalisation. Lisa Brünig explains how the erosion of reproductive rights in Germany is symptomatic of broader democratic backsliding Read more
Víctor Hugo Ramírez García
A radical feminist politics of kinship asks us to interrogate the roots of how we live together: how we form families, share resources, and imagine belonging. At stake, says Víctor Hugo Ramírez García is not only gender equality, but the future of democracy itself Read more
Eiman Alabdulghani
For decades, activists have worked to end gender-based violence through grassroots organising, legal challenges, and public education. But Eiman Alabdulghani’s research suggests that the digital world represents a powerful new front. Social media hashtags can spark global movements, and citizen journalists can hold power to account in ways previously unimaginable Read more
Syeda Saba Batool
The US has accused China of carrying out a 'yield-producing' nuclear test in 2020 – but the global test-ban monitor found no supporting evidence. Syeda Saba Batool argues that the dispute matters anyway: such allegations can be used to pressure China into talks – and to normalise a possible US return to testing Read more
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