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Tunisia’s Autocratic Turn: A Putin-like Case of Economics and Authoritarianism

Tunisia, a nation heralded as the one true success story of the 2011 Arab Spring movement that saw pro-democracy protests erupt across the Middle East, has slid back to autocracy in recent years under President Kais Saied. Despite the sudden end of democratic freedoms, this transition has not been met with universal opposition. The public disaffiliation with democracy in Tunisia shows the importance of economic success in maintaining democratic values, and, along with other instances of democratic backsliding, can be studied to understand how democracy can persist despite economic shortcomings.

Posted On : Published By : Atticus Fewson
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The Speculation Arms Race: How Venture Capital is Creating Security Dilemmas Before Weapons Exist

In international relations, a security dilemma refers to a situation where a state’s increase in its capabilities – in technology or defence – is perceived as a threat by a rival, which spurs their own capabilities development, resulting in an arms race. Historically, this phenomenon has depended on government-funded research in both the public and private spheres, thereby facilitating the development of proven capabilities, such as a new form of weapon. Once proven, procurement and increased capabilities occur. Today, as countries race to develop their AI capabilities, venture capital speculation in defence technology is creating a security dilemma before capabilities actually exist, driven by market logic rather than strategic necessity. This article does not suggest that speculation replaces traditional security dilemmas, but rather that it introduces novel mechanisms —market signals and venture capital speculation —through which the same logic of reciprocal insecurity operates.

Posted On : Published By : Spencer Clark
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Revolt, Reset, Repeat: The Protest Cycle of the Global South

Hope for meaningful change fuels youth-led protests across the Global South. Though portrayed as the dawn of a new era, these movements echo earlier waves of mobilization such as the 2011 Arab Spring and the 2019 demonstrations. While they briefly shake regimes, structural vulnerabilities and power vacuums often restore the status quo, sustaining a recurring cycle of rebellion and repression.

Posted On : Published By : Léa Karam
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Erasing the Citizen: Civil Death and the Erosion of Human Rights in Nicaragua

Nicaragua’s Ortega-Murillo regime has weaponized Civil Death–the erasure of citizenship and legal identity–to silence dissent and consolidate power. By revoking nationality, deleting records, and seizure of property, the Nicaraguan regime’s repression has extended beyond its borders. Through Risse and Ropp’s “Spiral Model” of human rights norms, this paper argues that Nicaragua’s shirking of international accountability demonstrates a broader regression in norm internalization. Thus, Civil Death in Nicaragua serves as an instrument of both human rights and authoritarian control.

Posted On : Published By : Caleb Crocker