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February 23, 2024

Understanding democracy’s contentious outcomes as a legitimising force

Seema Shah Around the world, the quality of democracy – and support for it – is in decline. In this context, Seema Shah argues that the future legitimacy of the democratic model depends on the separation of democratic values from democratic procedures Read more
February 23, 2024

Russia's war in Ukraine has shifted the tone of EU digital diplomacy

Maria Merkouraki EU digital diplomacy during the Russia-Ukraine war has led to the rise of hard-power discourse, writes Maria Merkouraki. The war has disrupted traditional pro-European soft messaging, and shifted the EU's approach to digital diplomacy Read more
February 21, 2024

🔮 Populism research demands more nuance: enter tribalism

Ilana Hartikainen Tribalism has emerged as a key term in political discussions — often used, but not clearly defined. Ilana Hartikainen and Zea Szebeni propose reconceptualising ‘tribalism’ to differentiate forms of political mobilisation. Tribalism, they argue, forms exclusive groups around shared values — and it’s gone global Read more
February 21, 2024

‘Democratic’ governments exploit protests to increase attacks on citizens' right to resist

Joseph Ward The rise of authoritarian politics in ‘formal democracies’ across Europe has been met with various forms of protest. Some of these movements have achieved partial success. But evidence from the UK and France suggests that neoliberal governments are harnessing such resistance to accelerate authoritarianism and hostility towards marginalised people, write Joseph Ward and Thomas Da Costa Vieira Read more
February 20, 2024

There is a resurgence of military coups in Africa's Sahel region. Why?

Collins Molua Ikome Collins Molua and Gift Mwonzora argue that the decision by Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso to leave the Economic Community of West African States was a rash one, which may risk legitimising further coups. What's more, deteriorating diplomatic relations between these countries and the West could have knock-on effects for regional peace and security Read more
February 15, 2024

♟ The EU didn’t foresee autocratisation in Central and Eastern Europe – neither did political science

James Dawson The EU did not foresee how autocratisation would unfold in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). But political scientists failed to raise the alarm, too. Lise Herman, James Dawson and Aurelia Ananda show that optimistic assumptions about democratisation misled policy makers and researchers alike Read more
February 14, 2024

🔮 Populism and the public sector in Italy

Anna Longhini Anna Longhini argues that in the relationship between citizens and bureaucrats, we find the seeds of populist ideology, which characterises the former as the 'pure people' and the latter as the 'corrupt elite'. Italy is a useful case in point. There, attempts to reform the public sector have failed to stem the spread of populist ideology Read more
February 14, 2024

Nordic and Baltic elites surprisingly like-minded in face of recent border crises

Stefano Braghiroli Traditionally, Nordic and Baltic elites hold divergent views on migration. Despite this, they have presented a united front in their response to recent border crises with Belarus and Russia, write Stefano Braghiroli and Sandra Hagelin Read more

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THE EUROPEAN CONSORTIUM FOR POLITICAL RESEARCH
Advancing Political Science
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