Turning the EU's South Caucasus moment into a permanent strategy

Recent wars in Ukraine and Iran have raised the South Caucasus's strategic value to the EU. Murad Gafarov argues Brussels should move beyond engaging Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia case by case, bui...

buff.ly

💊 Innovating democracy beyond the ballot box

When we think of democratic innovation, we usually picture citizens voting. But Annalisa Quaglia and Federico De Marco argue that a quiet transformation is underway elsewhere. Faced with the decline o...

bit.ly

How the Iran war is redrawing Europe's energy map

Maya Ikene argues that the Iran war is not just disrupting gas markets, but redrawing Europe's energy alliances. As Italy and Spain both rushed to buy Algerian gas, the scramble reveals an uncomfortab...

bit.ly

🦋 Does our understanding of democratic consolidation have a male bias?

Feminist scholarship is warning of a backlash against gender equality and women’s political inclusion. But if anti-gender backlash constitutes democratic deconsolidation, why has it been possible to d...

buff.ly

Politically active people are better represented than inactive ones

Politically active people — including protesters and those engaging outside elections — are better represented than inactive citizens, write Jesper Lindqvist, Jennifer Oser, Ruth Dassonneville, Mikael...

bit.ly

The quiet power of energy dependence

From the Strait of Hormuz to Europe’s gas crisis, energy dependence lets states project power through prices, not troops. This, says Ilan Kapoor, is reshaping geopolitical influence

bit.ly

Why European research on sexual harassment must shift focus

EU-level concern about inclusion and workplace sexual harassment is on the rise. Despite this, European academic research continues to overlook how race, class, and legal status shape victims'…

buff.ly

🧭 How Hungary and Serbia expose the EU’s enlargement vulnerabilities

EU enlargement, without credible enforcement of democratic standards, threatens the Union’s integrity. Cases like Hungary and Serbia expose the dangers of performative reforms and weak…

buff.ly

Toward a 'not-so-grand' security strategy for European defence policy

Are we nearing a new incarnation of the French vision of a Gaullist Europe? Focusing on strategic autonomy, nuclear deterrence, coalitions of the willing, threat perception, and defence capability,…

buff.ly

Embracing anxiety can help us do better research

Anxiety is widespread in academia, among faculty members and students. However, anxiety is not unequivocally a negative emotion. Karl Gustafsson and Linus Hagström argue that it can also be a creative...

ow.ly

💊 The power of social models for teaching democratic politics

Our models of higher education have polarising effects. Titus Alexander argues that we need to learn from Nordic models of adult education and recognise teaching as a form of scholarship to help citiz...

ow.ly

Ministers accused of being ‘asleep at the wheel’ over UK’s soft power around the world

Government’s own advisers warn of funding crisis for BBC World Service, British Council and universities

theguardian.com

The politics of eating: why facts and social norms don't shift diets

Have you ever tried to change your diet based on new information, perhaps after reading about the environmental benefits of plant-based eating or the health risks associated with processed meat –– onl...

bit.ly

🧭 Russia’s hybrid warfare on EU enlargement

Russia’s hybrid tactics — emboldening sovereigntist populism, spreading disinformation, and weaponising economic hardship — threaten EU enlargement.

bit.ly

Russia’s changing Arctic policy: from economic ambitions to military dominance

Russia’s Arctic policy has shifted from economic ambitions to military dominance, especially since the outbreak of war in Ukraine. As Western sanctions isolate Moscow, it is deepening ties with China ...

bit.ly

🧭 'Differentiated membership' would overcome the EU’s enlargement dilemma

The EU is caught in a dilemma between its geopolitical urge to enlarge and the high institutional standards for membership. Frank Schimmelfennig argues that differentiated integration would help squar...

bit.ly

How Călin Georgescu's TikTok tactics rewired Romanian politics

In an unexpected twist to Romania’s 2024 presidential election, Călin Georgescu, virtually unknown a year ago, has emerged as a serious contender. Georgescu's ascent has been marked by antisemitic rhe...

bit.ly

Ukraine is conscripting its citizens abroad. Is that strictly legal?

As Ukraine faces an urgent need to mobilise, focus has shifted to conscripting Ukrainian men abroad. Using population data from various sources, Eban Raymond explores the multifaceted legality of Ukra...

bit.ly