The world watched in horror as state security forces carried out ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya in the fall of last year. Many wondered how such a promising case of democratic reform could go so …
Who are Narendra Modi’s “Brothers” and “Sisters” Conveyed in His Visual Populism? By Ruchi Kirtikar @ Columbia University
“Friends… countrymen, lend me your ears.” William Shakespeare’s famous line from his play Julius Caesar is one of the oldest mimicking the rhetoric of the “relatable” politician. Nowadays, words …
Thailand: The consequences of a disloyal opposition by Lam Chi Tun @ Columbia University
On the 10th of February, around 400 protestors gathered near the Democracy Monument in Bangkok to protest against the military junta currently ruling Thailand. They called on the military rulers to …
Myanmar’s Transition to Democracy: Is Illiberalism a “Bump in the Road?” By Rachel Risoleo @Brown University
Max Fisher of the New York Times recently noted that although Myanmar was once a beacon of democratic transition from a recently de-militarized state, it is now a “study in how it [democracy] fails.” …
How Can Donor Organizations Improve Women’s Political Participation? by Talia Brenner @Brown University
It’s common to see education initiatives, particularly those from multilateral aid organizations and NGOs, depicted as a panacea for democratic backsliding. Among these international organizations, …
Military, Religious Populism, and the Fall of Pakistani Democracy by Will Conard @ Brown University
The Islamic Republic of Pakistan was established, in the midst of religious conflict. In August 1947, West and East Pakistan gained independence both from India and from the Empire of the United …
Western Media Missteps in Coverage of Mongolian Presidential Election by Talia Brenner @Brown University
Western media does not cover much about Mongolia. Most Americans likely know about Chinggis (Genghis) Khan and the Mongol Empire, yurts, and Central Asian steppes. Geopolitically, they might know …
“Philippines’s President Rodrigo Duterte War on Drugs, Populist or Hero?” by Allante’ Boykin @University of Memphis
Since the fairly new President Rodrigo Duterte has been elected into office last June, he has been on a binge to cleanse the country of drugs and addiction. Duterte's war on drugs has claimed the …