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Democracy

April 8, 2024

🌊 How illiberalism threatens the urban freedoms of women and marginalised groups

Cătălina Frâncu In recent decades, real progress has been made to inclusivity in urban policies and in access to urban spaces. Cătălina Frâncu warns these gains are now under threat. Here, she explores the impact of illiberalism on the exclusion of women and marginalised groups from urban public spaces Read more
April 5, 2024

🦋 Critical Theory after Houellebecq

Shivdeep Grewal Feelings are relevant to the study of democracy. Yet they prove difficult to encapsulate. Delving into the worlds of Michel Houellebecq, Jürgen Habermas and Emmanuel Macron, Shivdeep Grewal suggests an ‘experiential’ approach Read more
April 4, 2024

🔮 Chatbot politicians: who are they, and what is their connection to populism?

Silvija Vuković The idea that human politicians may one day be replaced by machines is no longer science fiction. Focusing on the political aspect of artificial intelligence, Silvija Vuković introduces the phenomenon of chatbot politicians, and discusses their connection to populism Read more
April 2, 2024

🌊 How Hungary’s so-called child protection referendum was invalidated through a grassroots campaign

Dóra Oprics Dóra Oprics explores the 2X civil society campaign in Hungary in 2022, which resulted in 1.7 million Hungarians successfully invalidating an exclusionary child protection referendum. The outcome reveals insights into the mobilising powers of grassroots activism against attempts to demonise the LGBTQIA+ community Read more
March 25, 2024

🌊 Sweden Democrats reveal their genderphobia

Clémentine Punti The Sweden Democrats have expanded their focus from immigration and crime to issues of sex and gender. Examining their discourse against drag queen readings for children, Clémentine Punti argues that this new focus reveals the party’s genderphobic nature Read more
March 21, 2024

🦋 What identity does democracy need? The necessity and danger of political polarisation

Simon Bein Simon Bein postulates a new perspective on the multiplicity of understandings of democracy and political identities in democratic societies. He argues that democracies which recognise and balance competing political identities are less polarised Read more
March 20, 2024

🌊 Buying women's votes through welfare in Turkey

Bengisu Savran Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan's authoritarian AKP has governed Turkey for more than twenty years. The regime has consistently rolled back gender rights. Despite this, many women continue to vote for it. Why? Bengisu Savran suggests clientelism and welfare benefits may provide the answer Read more
March 19, 2024

Slovakia risks heading back to the nineties

Max Steuer The Slovak Constitutional Court has – temporarily, at least – succeeded in halting policies driving the country towards illiberalism. Max Steuer argues that this decision, and its political context, resemble developments in late-1990s Slovakia. The Court showed resilience, but it might not suffice if Slovakia’s illiberals learn from the experience Read more

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