Ruairidh Brown
The US capture and extraction of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on 3 January 2026 was an act without precedent. But Ruairidh Brown argues that recent events in Caracas were only the second Act in an unfolding post-exceptionalist world order Read more
Sibei Sun
The Trump administration is advancing an illiberal Atlanticism that reimagines the West in manners similar to how Putin imagines Eurasia. Sibei Sun dissects the uncanny parallels between the two geopolitical doctrines and what it all means for future transatlantic relations Read more
Tim Pires Alves
After almost twenty years of democratic decline, in 2023, liberal democracy in Latin America appeared to be regaining strength. But has it managed to sustain the trend? Tim Pires Alves assesses whether recent developments heralded a new global wave of democratisation, or whether we merely glimpsed the calm before an even harsher autocratic storm Read more
Alberto Ruiz-Méndez
'Polarisation' is everywhere in today’s political commentary, but rarely do we ask what causes it. Alberto Ruiz-Méndez argues that the real culprit lies in political discourses that force societies into binary moral camps, eroding democracy from within Read more
Jan Philipp Thomeczek
Jan Philipp Thomeczek argues that European left-wing populist parties become more moderate as a consequence of their participation in government. Here, he draws on recent examples from Spain, Greece and Germany. Read more
Hakkı Taş
Recent data indicates that countries led by more populist leaders are less likely to have a military with veto power. Hakkı Taş explores the populist centralisation of power that fosters control over the military, and the impact on civilian oversight Read more
Carlos José Cruz Infante
Elections loom for Chile and Colombia in 2025 and 2026. Carlos José Cruz Infante explores voters' growing disillusionment with leftist governments and the increasing attraction of figures like José Antonio Kast and María Fernanda Cabal. These politicians' hard-right populist messages echo Donald Trump’s empty call to ‘Make America Great Again’ Read more
Jennifer M. Piscopo
Scholars and journalists tend to focus on the misogyny of right-wing autocrats. But Jennifer Piscopo argues that we shouldn't overlook the patriarchal attitudes of left-wing populists. They may not directly attack women and gender minorities, but they also roll back gender equality gains Read more
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