Sohela Nazeen
This year, millions of people in South Asia head to the polls. Potential outcomes of elections in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, however, do not bode well for women’s rights or gender equality, says Sohela Nazneen. The road ahead is difficult for women’s and LGBTQ+ struggles, as autocratic leaders consolidate power, and right-wing populists, digital repression, and violence against women and sexual minorities are all on the rise Read more
Akudo McGee
The results of the Polish parliamentary elections suggest that a coalition of the opposition will lead the next government. This is good news for civil society, which faced constant threats under the current Law and Justice (PiS) party. However, Akudo McGee warns that challenges still lie ahead for civil society Read more
Alexandra Tomaselli
Substate laws and policies may play a key role in promoting or hindering the socioeconomic participation of those who face intersectional discrimination. Alexandra Tomaselli examines how women and LGBTQIA+ individuals cope with their access to work, education, and services in South Tyrol and Catalonia Read more
Laura Luciani
As the liberal norms promoted by the EU are fiercely contested, human rights groups in the South Caucasus face an insecure environment. Some propose alternatives to human rights promotion that challenge both the EU’s development paradigms and competing authoritarian agendas. Laura Luciani argues that we should take them seriously Read more
Louise Olsson
Inviting more women to brief the United Nations Security Council helps include them in decision-making on international peace and security. But despite progress, observe Louise Olsson and Anna Marie Obermeier, challenges remain. The Council must integrate recommendations from women's voices into decision-making Read more
Soumi Banerjee
Soumi Banerjee and Rishi Jha argue that the rising wave of illiberalism is causing a shift in state-civil society relationships around the world. In contemporary India, the government often targets NGOs, resulting in the partial or complete seizure of operations Read more
Daniela Irrera
How are states and intergovernmental organisations adapting to new patterns of vulnerability created by the pandemic? Daniela Irrera suggests that future humanitarian systems must involve non-state actors alongside their governmental counterparts Read more
Akudo McGee
Enraged by Poland’s new abortion law, thousands of protestors filled the streets in late October. Many protests were organised by liberal civil society organisations, yet, argues Akudo McGee, it is precisely through civil society that the government has been able to exert its anti-liberal agenda Read more
The Loop
Cutting-edge analysis showcasing the work of the political science discipline at its best.
