Does the China Model challenge democracy’s global appeal?
With its economic success, China seems to convey to the world that democracy is not a prerequisite for prosperity and social well-being, says analyst Emily S. Chen. At least for… Read more »
Author Archives: DemDigest
Africa’s ‘backsliding’ qualified by democratic resilience
Three decades after sub-Saharan Africa joined the “third wave,” democracy’s ability to endure has been established in many countries, but its quality remains a grave concern, notes Peter M. Lewis,… Read more »
Tactics to Protect Civic Space
There have been many efforts from international organizations to research and discuss the closing of civic space as a global phenomenon in recent years. However, we rarely have the opportunity… Read more »
Turkey: Civil Society on Trial
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has marked the anniversary of a failed coup against him every passing year — this week was the third — with a national holiday that has… Read more »
Understanding the roots of democratic backsliding
Since the time of Plato, political thinkers have argued that a pro-democratic public is necessary for a stable and vital democracy. But others have countered that opinions are just cheap talk that… Read more »
How China’s ‘malign influence’ is corroding democracies
The primaries for Taiwan’s forthcoming presidential election are highlighting fears over China’s political influence. Pro-Beijing media are being credited with populist Han Kuo-Yu’s victory to lead the opposition, The Financial… Read more »
Populocracy: accomplices in democratic backsliding
Why do ordinary people vote to return to office undemocratic incumbents? New survey experiments in several countries suggest that many voters are willing to put their partisan interests above democratic… Read more »
Yes, civil society can help prevent democratic breakdowns
A quiet revolution is sweeping Eastern Europe. From the Czech Republic to Albania and from Slovakia to Romania, people are taking to the streets to demand greater transparency from their… Read more »
Disinformation and democracy – three key questions
The techniques used by anti-democratic state and non-state actors to disrupt or influence democratic processes are constantly evolving, the European Parliamentary Research Service Blog observes. The use of algorithms, automation and artificial… Read more »
How the oldest hatred is corrupting democracy
On July 18, 1994, unknown attackers bombed the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (whose Spanish acronym is AMIA), a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires. This still-unresolved terrorist attack killed 87… Read more »