The recent coup attempt in Brazil is a clear reflection of the discredit of democracy. Result of social polarization and populism. Various organizations warn of the crisis of confidence that democracy is suffering in the world. A recurring threat that requires a forceful response from democratic societies. Since this constitutes the fundamental pillar of coexistence and good governance. In October […] … learn more→
Tag Archives: democracy

Is the coup act in Brazil a reflection of the discredit of democracy at a global level?

Universities: The often overlooked player in determining healthy democracies
We’ve been hearing recently about the possibility that the United States — assumed to be a prime example of democracy — is in real peril of collapse. Coming into 2022, we find ourselves in the midst of a worldwide democratic recession. Democracy is vulnerable and fragile. It requires maintenance, participation, vigilance and constant re-assertion. If left unattended, […] … learn more→

Young people remain ill-equipped to participate in Australian democracy
Despite many young Australians having a deep interest in political issues, most teenagers have a limited understanding about their nation’s democratic system. Results from the 2019 National Assessment Program – Civics and Citizenship (NAP-CC) released today show the proportion of young people demonstrating the expected level of knowledge about topics such as democracy and government has […] … learn more→

How science and democracy are alike
Science and democracy are concepts that have contributed to the common good after a process based on the pillars of Greco-Roman culture. The two have followed sinuous paths, sometimes adjacent, throughout history. And both are in danger. Inspired by a recent text by José María Izquierdo we launch the following question: do we know what democracy really consists of? Sometimes […] … learn more→

Teaching students how to dissent is part of democracy
In scenes unprecedented in previous school shootings, the past few weeks have been marked by students taking to the streets, to the media, to corporations and elected officials in protest over gun practices and policies. Responses to these teens have been mixed. Some have celebrated their passion. Some concluded that the students are immature and don’t yet fully grasp longstanding issues with […] … learn more→

Offensive speech in the classroom
The spring semester got off to a somewhat rocky start at Princeton University when a number of students walked out of a class in reaction to the instructor’s conduct. Lawrence Rosen, the William Nelson Cromwell Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at Princeton and an adjunct professor of law at Columbia University, was starting a class that he […] … learn more→

‘Banned from our own lives’: intellectuals mourn the Turkey that once was
I write life for those who can catch it in a breath, in an exhale. Like one picks a fruit on a branch, like tearing out a root. – Asli Erdoğan, from Taş Bina ve Diğerleri. Until very recently, Turkey was the place to be. The country offered space for everyone: all shades of Islamists […] … learn more→
Myths that have kept Thailand together now risk tearing it apart following military coup
For more than 80 years, Thailand has been struggling to build a stable and functioning democracy. On the afternoon of Thursday May 22, that process was set back again with the country’s 12th military coup. Once again, Thailand has seen its constitution torn up, and its political leaders detained. The military announced it was taking […] … learn more→
Mali’s coup: Reverse Arab Spring
This was no act of heroism to save a country from a despotic dictator, but rather an emotional outbreak by a disgruntled group of military officers that thoughtlessly ended 20 years of democratic rule. … learn more→
All the difference in the world
It is among the grandest topics in scholarship: Why do some nations, such as the United States, become wealthy and powerful, while others remain stuck in poverty? And why do some of those powers, from ancient Rome to the modern Soviet Union, expand and then collapse? From Adam Smith and Max Weber to the current […] … learn more→