David Pimenta argues that the logic behind the 'broken windows' theory – that visible disorder encourages crime – is still with us. Today, however, it has been transformed and absorbed into contemporary illiberal populism, where cultural breakdown plays a central role in mobilising support and reshaping debates about authority and liberal democracy
The collapse of liberal democracy is often misunderstood. Regina Queiroz argues that a libertarian-conservative model has displaced liberal democracy's endorsement of popular sovereignty. Driven by re-regulation, liberalisation, and privatisation, this model prioritises market logic over social cohesion. From Portugal’s housing crisis to national populism, the author explores this ideological shift
What do battles over gender equality reveal about the state of multilateral democracy? Drawing on her participation at the UN's Commission on the Status of Women in New York, Serena Fiorletta shows how contested rights and shifting rules in negotiations around gender equality point to a deeper political crisis
Political trust can shape the trajectory of democracy writes Marta Kołczyńska, but its effects are conditional, uneven, and increases in trust may sometimes even be conducive to democratic decline rather than renewal
Algorithms can help governments manage complexity. But they cannot settle disputes over fairness, dignity and responsibility. İbrahim Hatipoğlu argues that so-called 'wicked' policy problems require political judgement before technical optimisation
Osman Bahadir Dinçer and Zeynep Sahin-Mencütek argue that Syria is not ready for large-scale refugee return. Drawing on interviews with returnees, they show how economic collapse, weak institutions, and social fragmentation undermine reintegration. Policy debates, they say, must move beyond rhetoric to reflect realities on the ground
Milen Lyubenov and Dragomir Stoyanov argue that the Bulgarian parliamentary elections of April 2026 may well have resolved a five-year political crisis through a landslide victory for ex-President Rumen Radev’s new political formation, ‘Progressive Bulgaria’
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has called for sanctions on India’s Hindutva Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, for its flagrant violations of religious freedom. Sonia Sarkar warns that Donald Trump may pay no heed to it, because of own ties with the far-right network
On 21 April 2026 the European Court of Justice delivered a landmark ruling, arguing that Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ+ law, in dehumanising LGBTIQ+ people, is incompatible with EU values. Koen Slootmaeckers analyses the Court’s ruling and its wider implications beyond Hungary
Populist governance poses a profound threat to universities, undermining the autonomy essential to knowledge production. Jeremy Ko and James F. Downes reveal how populist leaders invoking 'the people' against elites consistently reduce academic freedom – and right-wing variants accelerate the decline most sharply
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