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Articles on Democracy Futures: Elections and Campaigns

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Voters might be quite rational in refusing to give the green light to those who wield power and benefit from the status quo. Mats Edenius/flickr

We frown on voters’ ambivalence about democracy, but they might just save it

Ambivalence among voters is reason to think about how democracy is working for us as a community. To keep democracy alive we need to be sceptical about the exercise of power and keep it in check.
Podemos must reconsider who is above and who is below – who are the people and who are the people’s enemy. Podemos Uviéu/flickr

Podemos find itself caught between the battle lines of Spanish politics

Podemos positioned itself as leading a revolt by the people against the political system. Now, as Spain’s third-largest party, it is part of that system and has some difficult decisions to make.
On September 15, 2012, a protest in Sydney by Salafi Muslims against an ‘anti-Islam’ film ended in violent confrontations with police. Jamie Kennedy/flickr

By framing secular society as a Christian creation, Hanson’s revival goes beyond simple racism

One Nation has built on the racism of its original anti-Asian platform by linking Australia’s secular society to its Christian origins and presenting Islam as incompatible with this way of life.
Italians voted “No” by a convincing margin in the referendum on constitutional change.

What’s next for Italy?

In a climate of widespread discontent with Italy’s political establishment, a new election might wipe out most of the parties in the current government coalition.
A portrait of US President-elect Donald Trump guards a residential backyard in Iowa, complete with lights and security cameras. Tony Webster/flickr

Trump, the unspeakable and democracy in America

The better-to-do and the established of civil and political society have become complacent and deaf to ‘those at the bottom’. The working class has gone over to the right-wing populists.
Donald Trump in New Mexico. Carlo Allegri/Reuters

Populism and democracy: Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde?

Donald Trump is the latest example of populism’s return to the global political landscape. Nine scholars from seven countries examine the link between populism and democracy.
Donald Trump is often described as a populist leader. Reuters/Carlo Allegri

We the People: the charms and contradictions of populism

In this special The Conversation project, scholars and commentators from around the world examine the rise of populism, and its implications, now and into the future.
Tea Party supporters have been demanding to be heard for a long time. Valerie Hinjosa/flickr

Face the facts: populism is here to stay

We are witnessing the global rise of populism. Once seen as a fringe phenomenon from another era or only certain parts of the world, populism is a mainstay of politics today across the globe.
UKIP leader Nigel Farage was an architect of Britain’s seismic decision to leave the European Union. Chatham House/flickr

Britain’s ‘Bregret’ offers timely lessons for Australian voters this weekend

The populist appeal of simplistic answers to complex solutions is a challenge for political leaders.There are times when expertise and experience must prevail over the popular mood of the moment.
Donald Trump is a spectre of things to come: of political performance in an age of projection rather than representation. EPA/Tannen Maury

Donald Trump: both the old crazy and the new normal

The faultlines in democratic politics are clear. On one side is a system of democracy that is bad at making people feel represented. On the other are anti-politician performers like Donald Trump.
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament’s London to Aldermaston march, 1958: an early example of mass political mobilisation to achieve a specific goal. CND

Not so grassroots: how the snowflake model is transforming political campaigns

Political campaigns today are presented as products of bottom-up participation, not top-down direction. But even if a campaign appears grassroots-driven, it’s likely to be run from the centre.

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