Articles
Winter 1990, Volume 1, Issue 1
The Perils of Presidentialism
Read the full essay here. Image credit: Vuk Valcic/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Winter 1990, Volume 1, Issue 1
The Crumbling of the Soviet Bloc
The Editors’ introduction to “The Crumbling Soviet Bloc.”
Winter 1990, Volume 1, Issue 1
The Crumbling of the Soviet Bloc: Overcoming Totalitarianism
Read the full essay here.
Winter 1990, Volume 1, Issue 1
The Crumbling of the Soviet Bloc: Poland and Hungary in Transition
Read the full essay here.
Winter 1990, Volume 1, Issue 1
The Crumbling of the Soviet Bloc: The Democratic Revolution
Read the full essay here.
Winter 1990, Volume 1, Issue 1
The Crumbling of the Soviet Bloc: Squaring the Soviet Circle
Read the full essay here.
Winter 1990, Volume 1, Issue 1
Organizing “People Power” in the Philippines
Read the full essay here.
Winter 1990, Volume 1, Issue 1
Achebe’s Africa
A review of Anthills of the Savannah, by Chinua Achebe.
Winter 1990, Volume 1, Issue 1
Managing the Military
A review of Rethinking Military Politics: Brazil and the Southern Cone, by Alfred Stepan.
Winter 1990, Volume 1, Issue 1
Sidney Hook (1902–1989)
A tribute in remembrance of Sidney Hook (1902–1989).
April 2026, Volume 37, Issue 2
The Limits of Authoritarian AI
Artificial intelligence is often seen as a silver bullet for authoritarians, a breakthrough technology making repression cheaper, faster, and more precise. But it has inherent weaknesses, and dictators can’t escape these dilemmas.
April 2026, Volume 37, Issue 2
The Rise of Authoritarian Middle Powers
The world’s “middle powers” were once bastions of defense for a liberal rules-based international order. But no more. A new kind of authoritarian middle power has emerged, undermining democratic norms and safeguards.
April 2026, Volume 37, Issue 2
Democracy’s Troubles Should Be No Surprise
Democracy’s present difficulties were predictable. History and older theories of democratic stability should have prepared us for both democratic backsliding and the vulnerability of Western democracy we are experiencing today.
April 2026, Volume 37, Issue 2
Why Elected Leaders Subvert Democracy
Today, the principal challenge to democracy is coming not from coups but from democratic erosion driven by elected leaders. What is behind this shift, and how can prodemocracy forces push back?
April 2026, Volume 37, Issue 2
How Courts Undermine Democracy
The judiciary is widely assumed to defend democracy. Yet in reality, even when independent of elected governments, courts can endanger democracy—sometimes by enabling executives and sometimes by aggressively fighting them.
April 2026, Volume 37, Issue 2
When Populism Can Be Good
Populism is too often treated as if it is all one thing. But what if populist politics and democratic backsliding didn’t have to go together? A closer look reveals two kinds of populism, one of which is less threatening to liberal democracy.
April 2026, Volume 37, Issue 2
How to Secure Venezuelan Democracy
Venezuela has a path to democracy, but it requires dismantling the old regime. María Corina Machado, the country’s true democratic leader, must signal her credibility as a moderate through a framework of transitional justice. It won’t be perfect justice, but it is Venezuela’s best hope.
April 2026, Volume 37, Issue 2
Pluralism, Polarization, and Political Voyeurism
Decentralized governance allows communities to enact policies that reflect their values. But in the digital age, when news spreads far and fast, what’s happening in one place may inflame citizens’ attitudes thousands of miles away, magnifying political differences and division.