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Public Policy

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

January 12, 2022

China’s approach to the pandemic exposes its democratic deficit to the public glare

Rongxin Li China has adopted a zero-case approach to the coronacrisis. But, writes Rongxin Li, China’s policies, while claiming to be in the interests of its citizens, show a lack of democratic anchoring, sacrificing civil rights and procedural justice Read more

January 6, 2022

Public attitudes to coronavirus in highly polarised Hungary

Balázs Böcskei Balázs Böcskei and Eszter Farkas analyse the influence of partisan alignment on public health issues related to coronavirus. Their findings suggest that even in such a highly polarised country as Hungary, the significance of the pandemic over time is suppressing the influence of party alignment on Covid-related issues Read more

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