Dennis Shen
Georgia’s elections on 26 October highlighted its balancing act between ties with the West and managing a complex relationship with Russia. Dennis Shen explains how competing visions for the country’s future, challenging geopolitics and potential sanctions threaten socio-political stability. Read more
Filip Bialy
AI plays a central role in the 2024 US presidential election, as a tool for disinformation and as a key policy issue. But its significance extends beyond these, connecting to an emerging ideology known as TESCREAL, which envisages AI as a catalyst for unprecedented progress, including space colonisation. After this election, TESCREALism may well have more than one representative in the White House, writes Filip Bialy. Read more
Saloni Pradhan
Saloni Pradhan examines the growing threats to academic freedom in India. From controversial curriculum changes to pressure on scholars, the government is eroding intellectual autonomy. The implications for India's democracy — and the country's future as a knowledge society — are significant. Read more
Gaetano Scaduto
Our response to political manifestos during elections usually reflects the different ways we think about politics. Yet, we can also demonstrate our politics in less obvious stereotypical associations, including consumption and lifestyle choices, argue Gaetano Scaduto and Fedra Negri, through an experiment they conducted on food in Italy. Read more
Anukriti Dixit
Many parts of the world, including India, lack institutional accountability for sexual violence. Anukriti Dixit argues for bringing together anti-caste and decolonial frameworks for justice to counter impunity in such crimes. This, she argues, would realise justice for victims in cases where the power differentials involve caste, class, and indigeneity. Read more
Loqman Radpey
As we pass the anniversary of the 7 October Hamas attacks, it is crucial we examine the deeper roots of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. The US Freedom Agenda, designed to promote democracy in the region, has instead created instability. Loqman Radpey reveals how misinterpretations of Middle Eastern dynamics pose profound challenges to peace and security. Read more
Anja Durovic
Democratic governments conduct extensive public opinion research, but we know little about how they use it. When and why do they seek to find out what the public thinks? Opening the black box of government polling in Germany, Anja Durovic and Tinette Schnatterer find governments exploit polls in a highly strategic way. Read more
Mimi Mihăilescu
Far-right Romanian presidential candidate George Simion is not just running a campaign, he’s waging a meme war. In today’s digital age, argues Mimi Mihăilescu, the way politicians communicate with the public has fundamentally shifted – and internet memes are emerging as powerful weapons for shaping public perception and discourse. Read more
