Anti-mask protesters hold signs during a demonstration against measures taken by public health authorities to curb the spread of COVID-19 in St. Thomas, Ont., in 2020.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Geoff Robins
Trying to convince people to trust the basic institutions of Canada and each other is not enough. Economic divisions create a trust divide that threatens Canadians’ way of life.
Managing the competing demands of a pandemic inevitably erodes Jacinda Ardern’s political brand – but changes to Labour’s leadership rules don’t necessarily signal the end of an era.
Freedom of speech is a human right. But it comes with limitations, such as using the right to incite violence. Conversations around these concepts are a part of democratic education.
Tolerating political protest is an essential part of democratic life. But when the protests pose a genuine risk of harm to the community, that’s when they are no longer ethically justified.
Stuffed bears in windows were a common sight during the early 2020 lockdowns.
Eric Baradat/AFP via Getty Images
Different people and groups have differing, and often opposing, goals that they value differently. That makes public discussion, compromise and agreement difficult.
Rick Sarre, University of South Australia dan Joe McIntyre, University of South Australia
Government conspiracy theories are without merit, but their growing prevalence should ring alarm bells about the parlous state of civics education in this country.
Different mindsets about rules can lead to different behaviors.
AP Photo/Lynne Sladky
The divide transcends partisan bickering. Some people really do recoil at the imposition of strict rules, while others become anxious when rules aren’t followed.
Shannon Rose, left, joined other demonstrators calling for Gov. Gavin Newsom to end the stay-at-home orders during a protest at the state capitol in Sacramento, Calif., on May 9, 2020.
(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
From political ideologies, conspiracy theories or “reopen” protests, when faced with uncertainty, we seek reassurance in the face of mortality through efforts at containment.
To save as many lives as possible, public health efforts must take into account our subconscious biases.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Do recent lockdown protests indicate that Australia is on the path to Trump’s America? While we can currently rest easy, the problem requires careful consideration.
The Proud Boys outside the US Capitol in Washington, DC on Wednesday, January 6, 2021.
Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/For The Washington Post via Getty Images
Shannon M. Smith, College of Saint Benedict & Saint John's University
White supremacists’ protests against COVID-19 lockdowns reflect the US history of political leaders encouraging white supremacist groups to challenge or overthrow democratic governments.
When is the right time to wave the green flag?
Yellow Dog Productions/Getty Images
Federal authorities have input, but states reign supreme – unless they decide to let local governments make the call.
Protesters in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on April 20 call for the governor to lift restrictions meant to help combat the spread of the coronavirus.
AP Photo/Matt Slocum
A scholar of social participation finds shared themes across protests in many states, not all of which fit common popular or media narratives about the events.
Joey Gibson, leader of the right-wing group Patriot Prayer, addresses a crowd on April 19, 2020, in Olympia, Washington, insisting the state lift restrictions put in place to help fight the coronavirus outbreak.
Karen Ducey/Getty Images
Militant far-right groups are always looking to appear legitimate and to recruit more Americans to their causes.
Protesters seeking relief from lockdown restrictions, like these in Missouri, are being marshaled and egged on by conservative political operatives.
AP Photo/Jeff Roberson
Marc Ambinder, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
Research and investigative journalism call into question the authenticity of – and actual public support for – recent protests demanding governments lift lockdowns and ‘reopen’ the US economy.
Freedom of political communication is implied in the constitution, but protesters have still been fined for breaching social distancing rules by leaving their homes.