From Conspiracy Theory to State Policy: Trump, MAGA, and the Specter of ‘Cultural Marxism’
US President Donald Trump's intervention in the Smithsonian Institution signals a new phase in America's culture wars. In this insightful...
Dr. Folsz: Even Deeply Entrenched Competitive Authoritarian Regimes Have Vulnerabilities
For years, Hungary stood as the defining case of democratic backsliding within the European Union. Yet the 2026 election has...
Assoc. Prof. Gamboa: By the Time the Authoritarian Threat Becomes Evident, It’s Usually Too Late
Drawing on comparative evidence from Colombia, Venezuela, Guatemala, Mexico, and beyond, Associate Professor Laura Gamboa offers a compelling rethinking of...
Eric Hacopian: Armenia Won’t Become Turkey, but the Warning Signs Are There
Armenia stands at a critical crossroads. In the aftermath of the loss of Nagorno-Karabakh, amid efforts to normalize relations with...
Prof. Corrales: Even Rigged Elections Can Still Produce Competitive Outcomes
At a time when democratic backsliding, populist polarization, and executive aggrandizement dominate political debate across the globe, Professor Javier Corrales...
Prof. Magaloni: Democratic Backsliding Is Not Universal; People Still Believe in Democracy, but They Want Better Delivery
Professor Beatriz Magaloni, Graham Stuart Professor of International Relations at Stanford University, argues that contemporary democratic crises cannot be understood...
Prof. Laruelle: Liberalism Is No Longer the Only Game in Town as It Was for the Past Four Decades
Professor Marlene Laruelle argues that the contemporary challenge to liberal democracy extends far beyond electoral populism. In this wide-ranging ECPS...
Assoc. Prof. Bottoni: Today’s Democratic Transition in Hungary Is More Difficult and Challenging Than 1989–1990
In this ECPS interview, Associate Professor Stefano Bottoni offers a compelling assessment of Hungary’s post-Orbán transition and the formidable challenges...
Dr. Ümit Kardaş: Turkey Has Returned to a Form of Pre-1876 Absolutism
Giving an interview to the ECPS, veteran Turkish political analyst, legal expert, author, and poet Dr. Ümit Kardaş argues that...
Dr. Paul: India Under Modi Has Become a Civilizational Populist Electoral Autocracy
In this ECPS interview, Dr. Maggie Paul argues that India under Narendra Modi is best understood as a “civilizational populist...
Turkey’s Managed Permanence: Lawfare, Institutional Capture, and the End of Democratic Uncertainty
In this timely and deeply analytical essay, Professor Ibrahim Ozturk examines how Turkey is moving beyond competitive authoritarianism toward what...
Dr. Amir Ali: Democratic Backsliding Is Global, but India’s Crisis Is Unfolding on a Far More Dangerous Scale
In this ECPS interview, Dr. Amir Ali, Assistant Professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, offers a sobering assessment of India’s democratic...