Gülşen Doğan
Gülşen Doğan describes how charismatic leadership, propaganda, and a commitment to stable governance are behind the rise of autocratic populists. Read more
Camil Ungureanu
We often link denialism and opposition to environmental issues to far-right parties, yet this is an oversimplification. Camil Ungureanu, Marc Sanjaume-Calvet and Balsa Lubarda argue that some centre-right parties, by downplaying ecological concerns and framing ecology as 'the new communism', paved the way for far-right climate denialism. Read more
Janina Heaphy
Italy’s new cross-border surrogacy ban is typical of the way democratic nations are adopting authoritarian measures to target citizens who travel abroad to circumvent restrictions at home. The new law targets LGBTQ+ families in particular. Janina Heaphy argues that Italy's actions reflect a global trend of transnational restrictions on personal freedoms and human rights. Read more
Mimi Mihăilescu
Online memes have evolved from satirical messages to powerful ideological tools. Recently, the far-right 'Dark MAGA' movement has harnessed memes for political messaging and identity-building. Mimi Mihăilescu describes how Elon Musk has emerged as an anti-establishment symbol: revered, weaponised, and transformed within these radicalised online communities. Read more
Sofia Serra-Silva
Academia’s toxic culture is not just a systemic issue — it is also shaped by everyday interactions. While structural change is essential, progress can also come through the ways we treat one another. Individual actions can create a safer, more supportive environment for scholars and students, one small step at a time, writes Sofia Serra Silva. Read more
