The war of words between Fidesz Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Hungarian-American billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros continues to take on certain attributes of literal …
Lending an Ear to Ukrainian Populism
As Ukraine waits to recover from the social unrest sparked by 2014’s Maidan Revolution and pro-Russian unrest in the Donbas region, it has become painfully evident that eradicating the corrupt …
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Can comedy counter democratic backsliding in Serbia? by Isabela Karibjanian @ Brown University
He has a trademark white suit, a “man bun,” and nearly 10% of the vote in Serbia’s most recent presidential election. Could a satirical presidential candidate re-energize a movement to counter …
So you want to weaken your civil society? Cut off its foreign funding. By Victor Brechenmacher @ Brown University
On Saturday, Russian president Vladimir Putin signed into law a bill forcing all foreign-funded media in Russia to register as 'foreign agents.' The move echoes a 2012 Russian law asking the same of …
Threats against the Media in Bulgaria: The Beginning of the End of Democracy? by Victoria Potts @ University of Memphis
The journalists of Bulgaria regularly experience pressure from politicians to censor their questions and their stories. High-ranking officials openly threaten journalists' jobs to ensure their …
Citywide Conversation with the Providence Mayor by Artur Avkhadiev @ Brown University
On October 11, I joined a "Citywide conversation" with the Providence mayor Jorge O. Elorza. As part of the effort to remain in touch with Providence residents, the city council has organized these …
How the Russian State Makes for a Deft Opposition by Artur Avkhadiev @ Brown University
Since Vladimir Putin’s reelection in 2012, the Russian state has undergone a transformation. Adapted under the pressure of the Post-Cold War era, Russia now has a full laundry list of democratic …
