Sep 14, 2021 | Politics & Society
California is about to vote on whether to recall their governor and replace him with one of forty-six candidates. This process has uncovered a serious challenge for the governability of the state, and California now faces a governability crisis. Is the recall process...
Aug 17, 2021 | Politics & Society
Since the 2020 election, the Republican party has confronted defeat by claiming the election was stolen. In response, state legislatures controlled by the party have written substantial revisions to election processes and election law. In the name of protections...
Aug 11, 2021 | Politics & Society
By Sir Peter Gluckman Societal cohesion, mental health, wellbeing, and even democracy may all be at stake if lessons are not learned quickly from this pandemic, writes Sir Peter Gluckman. The rapid development of multiple Covid vaccines has been a triumph of science....
Jun 14, 2021 | Politics & Society
In April, Colombian demonstrators took to the streets to protest new policies proposed by the Government. The police responded with violence, with videos of the police response going viral. The response has subsequently led to larger protests against the Colombian...
May 26, 2021 | Politics & Society
By Patricia A. O’Brien Samoan democracy hangs in the balance as a constitutional arm wrestle plays out — with the world watching. New battlelines in Samoa’s ongoing political crisis were drawn this week. After an evening swearing-in ceremony on the lawn of...
Apr 22, 2021 | Politics & Society
By Maria Armoudian & Nicolas Pirsoul If we want to improve NZ’s freshwater quality, first we need to improve the quality of our democracy. Since the fatal Havelock North campylobacter outbreak in 2016, freshwater quality has rightfully been a major political issue...
Mar 29, 2021 | Politics & Society
By Francesc Badia i Dalmases This year’s election cycle will tell us whether political systems in the region can deal with social tensions made worse by the pandemic. Aseries of elections in Latin America this year, either held already or scheduled to take place, are...
Feb 22, 2021 | Arts & Culture, Business & Economics
Social media, as it exists currently, is an oligopoly, with a handful of private companies controlling the structure and use of the platforms which mediate our communication not only with one another but also with the public sphere. As these companies continue to...
Feb 9, 2021 | Politics & Society
On February 1st, 2021, the Burmese military overthrew the democratically elected government in Myanmar. Long-time political dissident Aung San Suu Kyi was arrested along with the leadership of the ruling National League for Democracy. What were the causes of this...
Jan 28, 2021 | Politics & Society
By Alison Goldsworthy In the past 20 years, hostility – fomented in a dislike and distrust of different groups – has dramatically increased and extended to many aspects of American life. Officer Eugene Goodman, an Iraq War veteran turned police officer, was on duty...