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Public Policy

April 7, 2022

China’s pandemic management and authoritarian resilience

Rongxin Li Unlike Western nations, China is reintroducing restrictions to counter the latest wave of Covid-19. Rongxin Li explains China's pandemic policy and its apparent acceptance by the Chinese people in the context of authoritarian resilience Read more

March 18, 2022

How Israel manages its democratic deficit

Niva Golan-Nadir Niva Golan-Nadir examines the diverse strategies state institutions use to manage unpopular policies while keeping the core of those policies intact. In Israel, citizens are only partially content with government measures to meet their demands. Crucially, however, Israelis are satisfied enough to prevent civil pressure on state institutions Citizens in modern democratic states enjoy civil […] Read more

March 15, 2022

Governments at all levels must work together to solve the climate crisis

André Luiz Campos de Andrade Decarbonisation requires a shift in climate governance focus, from the international to the domestic, writes André Luiz Campos de Andrade. At the domestic level, local, regional, and national governments must join forces to achieve their climate targets The Paris Agreement and its main implementation and transparency instruments continue to progress at a global level (e.g. […] Read more

March 14, 2022

Explaining Swedish exceptionalism in its pandemic response

Orlaith Rice The Swedish government’s strategy for addressing the Covid-19 pandemic sparked international debate about its hands off approach. Orlaith Rice points to Sweden’s institutional framework and high trust levels as two key components in understanding this country's unique pandemic response Read more

March 10, 2022

EU economic policy is EU gender policy

Muireann O'Dwyer Muireann O’Dwyer argues that the economy's gendered nature means that all EU-developed economic policies are intrinsically gendered. Their consequences shape equality across the member states. Addressing this requires a greater democratisation of economic policy, and a renewed commitment to gender mainstreaming The gender of the economy Economic policy is always, at the same time, gender […] Read more

February 28, 2022

The fragility of democratic freedoms in the Covid-19 pandemic

Pavlos Vasilopoulos In research monitoring public attitudes during the Covid-19 pandemic, Pavlos Vasilopoulos, Haley McAvay, Sylvain Brouard, and Martial Foucault found that public commitment to civil liberties is highly volatile, especially when fear prevails. This, they argue, should worry proponents of democracy Restriction of civil liberties under Covid The Covid-19 pandemic brought unprecedented restrictions to civil liberties […] Read more

February 25, 2022

The public wants the government to protect them from themselves – sometimes

Clareta Treger In a study of public attitudes towards government paternalism, Clareta Treger finds that, when it comes to their own safety and health, individuals prefer coercive government policies over nudges that steer them towards welfare-enhancing behaviour. This should be taken into consideration when devising strategies to mitigate COVID-19 and future crises. Read more

January 28, 2022

A second 'Pink Tide’ rises in Latin America, but will it last?

Valesca Lima The advance of left-wing, progressive parties in Latin America is driven by the mismanagement of the pandemic, the economic crisis, and the failure of right-wing populism in the region, observes Valesca Lima Read more

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