Stories Archive | Page 28 of 87

Analyses

For decades, Latin America’s authoritarian regimes were seen as a right-wing phenomenon, with Cuba as the lone exception — a dictatorship born not from a betrayal of democracy, but of revolution. As Washington’s embargo returns to the headlines, this piece asks what that framing has long obscured: that Cuba has never had just one embargo, but two.

International Affairs
Tunisia’s Authoritarian Regime in a Game of Political Brinkmanship
Ruth Hanau Santini 11 September 2023

Few commentators make predictions these days about Tunisia, with the exception of its financial resilience deemed to be now overstretched and foreign reserves hardly covering the country’s needs in the autumn. Whether Kais Saied will be able to pull a last minute trick out of the autocratic hat, or whether Tunisia will face a default and financial and social collapse is anyone’s guess.
Gender, Religion
In Manipur Violence Continues Unabated
Fostered by the Hindu Far-right
Maria Tavernini 26 August 2023
International Affairs
A Conversation with Mustafa Akyol
on the Dark Fate of Freedom in Muslim Countries
Giancarlo Bosetti , Alessandra Tommasi 1 August 2023
Philosophy
A Tribute to Shabbir Akhtar, Theologian of Islam
Mohammed Hashas 27 July 2023
International Affairs
Decline of Freedom, Collapse of Politics:
End of Parties throughout the MENA
Claudia De Martino 19 July 2023

Democracy is not doing well in the MENA region and political parties are the main casualties, surviving through life-support mechanisms but failing to make inroads in their respective national political contexts.
International Affairs
The Russian Factor in China’s Imperative of Stability
Seán Golden 10 July 2023

China’s foreign policy faces complexity due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It seeks access to resources and markets for its development and aims to challenge the dominance of the US, EU, and NATO. China cannot support Russia nor back NATO’s leadership. It seeks stability through diplomacy and maintains strict political control. However, Putin’s invasion and NATO’s response create strategic headaches for China, affecting its carefully promoted multipolar world order. China’s stability seems more secure than Russia’s, but uncertainties remain amid the changing global landscape.
Society
The Myth of a US Colorblind Constitution
Hussein Ibish 6 July 2023

The US Supreme Court has issued another shocking but unsurprising ruling that arbitrarily dispenses with precedents and upends long-settled law at the expense of the historically disempowered: now African American and Latino students will be deprived of “affirmative action” programmes considering race in university admissions. However, the assumption there was a shared originary understanding of the Constitution is false since the Constitution has been aggressively colour-conscious throughout its history, mainly at the expense of minority groups
International Affairs
Prigozhin’s March and Putin’s Lack of Action
Enrico Osvaldi 30 June 2023

Putin’s lack of reaction to Prigozhin’s June 23 “march for justice” may signal more than just an attempt to avoid a bloody conflict on the streets of Russia. The outward temerity of the Russian response could indicate that a real blow was dealt to Russian morale, however this could indicate more repressive measures to come from the Kremlin.
International Affairs
Armenia’s Growing Isolation:
Room for Compromise on Nagorno-Karabakh?
Claudia De Martino 30 June 2023

Armenia struggles with its international standing as its increased isolation may mean that it will not be in a position to negotiate with its neighbor Azerbaijan over any future conflict over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.
International Affairs
The Return of Poland’s Anti-Government Opposition
Fabio Turco 19 June 2023

On June 4th almost half a million peopled gathered throughout Poland in defense of democracy, to protest a recent law passed by President Andrzej Duda approved, which permits parliament to establish a commission in investigate electoral integrity with sweeping powers that could imperil political opposition.