Alexander Langenkamp
Alexander Langenkamp and Simon Bienstman argue that populist parties appeal strongly to citizens who feel vulnerable and discontented in ways that may be more than just political. This is an important explanatory factor of the electoral success of populist parties as a symptom of 'protest at the ballot box' Read more
Mattia Bottino
Participatory governance in megaprojects is intended to involve citizens in the decision-making processes and tackle their disaffection towards institutions. Mattia Bottino analyses the ‘proximity strategy’ used to realise the Brenner Basistunnel between Italy and Austria and contrasts it with the NO TAV experience in Italy’s Susa Valley Read more
Raphael Cohen-Almagor
Raphael Cohen-Almagor looks at the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign to boycott Israeli academics and ban Israel tout court. He argues that there is no justification for any academic organisation to do this. Any such decision would be unjust, unfair, and counter-productive Read more
Justin Kempf
Many political scientists have analysed democratic backsliding. Justin Kempf shows how some are helping activists refine their strategies and tactics to challenge autocrats and the basis of their rule. This provides an example of how political science can do much more than just conducting analysis and providing simple diagnoses Read more
Giovanni Capoccia
The French President has pushed through his signature reform of the French pensions system against widespread opposition. Yet, argues Giovanni Capoccia, the fight is not over, and the stakes are high – and not just for France Read more
Cristina Chiva
Reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ rights are increasingly under attack across the world. So far, we have a good grasp of the causes and consequences of the backlash against gender equality. What we need to do now, argues Cristina Chiva, is to conceptualise and document democratic resilience against these trends Read more
Sophia Hunger
In recent years, demonstrations against containment measures to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 have dominated the protest landscape. Sophia Hunger, Swen Hutter and Eylem Kanol explain what drives individuals from passive sympathy to active participation. They find that political and ideological attitudes, rather than 'biographical availability', play a critical role Read more
Sabine Volk
Germany’s largest far-right protest movement, PEGIDA, this month celebrates eight years of mobilisation and protest activity. Its survival, argues Sabine Volk, is a puzzle not explained by social movement theory. She explores an overlooked explanatory factor: PEGIDA's repetitive protest ritual Read more
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok