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July 15, 2021

What is the role of political science in public debate? A sobering lesson from Italy

Andrea Pritoni Political scientists are typically accused of remaining in their ivory towers. YePolitical scientists are often accused of hiding away in ivory towers, yet their participation could significantly enhance public debate. Andrea Pritoni and Giulia Vicentini analyse one such case, in Italy. In so doing, they discover a missed opportunity to increase the social relevance of the disciplinet their participation could enhance public debate and increase the social relevance of the discipline. Andrea Pritoni and Giulia Vicentini analyse one such case, in Italian public debate, and discover a missed opportunity Read more
July 14, 2021

Why right-wing populist parties are more successful in some countries than in others

Léonie De Jonge Right-wing populism is not contagious; it only spreads if mainstream parties and the media diffuse it. This helps explain why right-wing populist parties are more successful in the Netherlands and Flanders than in Luxembourg and Wallonia, writes Léonie de Jonge Read more
July 13, 2021

🦋 Rescuing an abandoned science: the lexicon of democracy

Jean-Paul Gagnon For centuries democracy has had many meanings. But they have not been collected and studied as a whole. This leaves us, Jean-Paul Gagnon argues, with only a partial knowledge of democracy. It's one that limits our options for democratisation in an increasingly authoritarian world Read more
July 12, 2021

Why is Italy more populist than any other country in western Europe?

Michelangelo Vercesi Italy is unmatched in Western Europe in the scale of its electoral support for populists. Michelangelo Vercesi argues that this exceptionality, combined with the strategic adaptation of political entrepreneurs to different territorial political traditions, is a legacy of how the unitary state formed Read more
July 8, 2021

Chinese vaccine diplomacy in Latin America could change the international order

Elena Cossu China has delivered vaccines to Latin America on an extraordinary scale. We must understand this in the context of China’s long-term aspirations as a rising power in the international order. Elena Cossu argues that Chinese vaccine diplomacy directly challenges the already declining US authority in the region Read more
July 7, 2021

Is Corbynism an ‘ism’? Or is it dead?

Andrew S. Roe-Crines According to one’s personal perspective, Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership either wrecked the Labour Party, or came close to saving it. But where does ‘Corbynism’ stand now under new leader Keir Starmer? Andrew S. Roe-Crines argues that it is entrenched in a longstanding historical debate about what Labour stands for Read more
July 6, 2021

Why conservative voters in Brazil make women more vulnerable to violence

Victor Araújo Tackling violence against women requires targeted laws and robust policy infrastructure. Victor Araújo and Malu Gatto argue that conservative municipalities adopt fewer instruments to protect women from violence – with life-threatening implications for women Read more
July 1, 2021

How knowledge sharing could advance Africa’s responses to terrorism

Sven Botha Scant counterterrorism initiatives in Africa have often been blamed on a lack of political will. But institutional capacity, technical competency, decolonisation struggles and pressure from national advocacy groups all play their part. As Africa’s terrorism worsens, Sven Botha and Suzy Graham suggest that peer-learning through peer review may prove fruitful Read more

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Advancing Political Science
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