In Bosnia and Herzegovina, a new possibility of an upheaval of an old conflict might be on the horizon. With it, a threat of war and the resurfacing of an ethnic conflict buried a long time ago. Read staff writer Magdalena Kamont’s take on this here.
Europe
Civil Society, Democracy and Authoritarianism
Civil society as a concept has been debated and defined in different ways, and by a large number of proponents, it is considered integral of a functioning democracy. In this article, Magdalena Kamont discusses civil society in the context of the shared Soviet past of Central- and Eastern Europe.
Belarusian students at the forefront for democracy
For International Students Day, Louise Nilsson writes about the current situation for Belarusian students who have peacefully protested the government.
Germany after Merkel: Spirit of optimism or hangover?
With Angela Merkel stepping down, the German election became a question of who could take her place. Laurin Zils explains the players in the recent election and what the future may hold for the most populous country in the EU.
Refugees (Un)Welcome: The Weaponizing of Migrants by Belarus
Magdalena Kamont explores the tangled web of migration on a less written about border- the Belarusian one, and how the migrants there are caught in a bigger political scheme.
The Crossroad Between Corruption and Extinction – A European Story
For our Corruption Issue, Julian-Alexis Kasapov mapped out our fellow EU member Bulgaria and how some non-democratic measures in the country manages to fly under Brussels’ radar.
From protests to war – The annexation of Crimea and the conflict in Eastern Ukraine
Read Magdalena Kamont’s take on the conflicts in Ukraine, the logics that underpinned Russia’s annexation 2014, and what may lie in the future for the region.
In Autocracy We Trust – The Erosion of Democracy in Poland
Magdalena Kamont untangles and analyses the events and identity politics in Poland’s interior politics, highlighting their explanatory value to the recent turn to autocracy.
Portuguese EU Council Presidency: Any new prospects for solidarity on migration among member states?
Miriam Laux discusses what the Portuguese EU presidency might mean for the future of the European Union’s handling of migrants crossing the Mediterranean, a subject especially interesting as both Europe and the rest of the world grapples with the consequences of the covid-19 pandemic.