Marieke Louis
'We don’t do politics!' is a common refrain from international bureaucrats, governmental delegates and civil society representatives engaged in multilateral negotiations. Marieke Louis and Lucile Maertens take these apolitical claims seriously. In doing so, they unveil the politics of depoliticisation in international organisations Read more
Andrea Pritoni
Political scientists are typically accused of remaining in their ivory towers. YePolitical scientists are often accused of hiding away in ivory towers, yet their participation could significantly enhance public debate. Andrea Pritoni and Giulia Vicentini analyse one such case, in Italy. In so doing, they discover a missed opportunity to increase the social relevance of the disciplinet their participation could enhance public debate and increase the social relevance of the discipline. Andrea Pritoni and Giulia Vicentini analyse one such case, in Italian public debate, and discover a missed opportunity Read more
Elena Cossu
China has delivered vaccines to Latin America on an extraordinary scale. We must understand this in the context of China’s long-term aspirations as a rising power in the international order. Elena Cossu argues that Chinese vaccine diplomacy directly challenges the already declining US authority in the region Read more
Sabine Volk
Actors from across the political spectrum, including the populist far right, have voiced concerns about safeguarding democracy amid the coronacrisis, writes Sabine Volk. But their different understandings of democracy reveal Germany’s political polarisation, rather than its unity Read more
Kristian Vrede Skaaning Frederiksen
Citizens of young democracies sanction governments for violating democratic principles. However, as Kristian Vrede Skaaning Frederiksen finds, in new research based on data from 43 countries, citizens of old democracies do not. Given recent attacks on democracy across the world, the insights are important for policymakers as well as citizens Read more
Samuel Brazys
China seeks to control the international narrative on its role in the pandemic. But while Beijing cannot always deflect criticism, its mask diplomacy efforts and external propaganda streams do affect China’s image, write Samuel Brazys, Alexander Dukalskis and Stefan Müller Read more
Stefano Braghiroli
The EU has activated a Covid recovery package worth a staggering €672.5 billion. Observers focus on the role of European capitals, inter-governmental institutions, and the European Commission's coordinating role in delivering it. Yet, argues Stefano Braghiroli, we shouldn't ignore the role of the European Parliament... Read more
