Shane P. Singh
Compulsory voting boosts turnout but has also negative consequences, such as increasing invalid voting. Furthermore, it gives voters, including newly enfranchised youth, few opportunities to express discontent or disinterest. Shane P. Singh, Carolina Plescia and Sylvia Kritzinger argue that we could solve this by introducing a 'none-of-the-above' (NOTA) option Read more
Veronica Anghel
Veronica Anghel and Erik Jones redefine the EU as a (selective membership) system of common resource pools, arguing this is the only way to understand its transformation under the pressure to enlarge. Enlargement means less exclusivity, so the key is to understand how the ‘goods’ that it provides are affected Read more
Natália Noskovičová
Two nations, one name, divergent paths: Natália Noskovičová delves into the illiberal mobilisations of the Czech and Slovak Alliances for Family and National Marches for Life. Here, she navigates the religious and secular strategies of anti-gender movements in the heart of Europe Read more
Giorgos Venizelos
'Populism' and 'power' have an uneasy relationship. Key texts reveal three assumptions about populism's 'fate' in power: first, it becomes mainstream; second, it turns authoritarian; third, it fails/succeeds to implement policies. Giorgos Venizelos argues we must look beyond the myths about populism's content or outcomes, and turn instead to populism's function of constructing collective identities through discursive / affective performativity Read more
Lakshmy Ramakrishnan
Earlier this year, construction workers from India began arriving in Israel to mitigate the country's labour shortage. The number of Indian migrant workers in Israel now looks set to reach 6,000. While this does help reduce India's unemployment rate, Lakshmy Ramakrishnan argues we should also see it as an exercise in soft power by the Modi government Read more
James F. Downes
James F. Downes and Mathew Wong re-evaluate the impact of the Belt and Road Initiative by examining important macroeconomic linkages between China and other economies. Combining statistical analyses of 163 countries, alongside EU case studies , they find that the economic impact of the BRI is limited, and determined largely by pre-BRI economic factors Read more
Marzia Saramad
On 15 August 2021, Marzia Saramad was working for UNICEF in the Afghan capital, Kabul, when the Taliban seized control. Here, she explains Afghanistan's relevance to the global illiberal agenda Read more
Bert Fraussen
How do think tanks establish a unique position in a saturated policy advisory landscape? Bert Fraussen and Valerie Pattyn show that Belgian think tanks set themselves apart from other actors by prioritising long-term, evidence-based policy advice. Aligned with the nation’s administrative tradition, they also adopt consensual strategies Read more
