Stories about Governance from May, 2023
In the Philippines, cyber censorship is a new form of authoritarianism
Qurium’s investigation revealed that the cyber attacks were coming from the Philippine military, using the government infrastructure of the Department of Science and Technology.
Unfreedom Monitor Report: Ecuador
Advox research into digital authoritarianism in Ecuador is now in a report. Read an excerpt and download the full pdf.
Controversies erupt in India over the film ‘The Kerala Story’
Directed by Sudipto Sen, the Bollywood movie "The Kerala Stories" explores the controversial notion of “love jihad” — a conspiracy theory that Muslim men convert Hindu women to Islam via romantic relationships.
Undertones: A look inside Venezuela's extraordinary corruption scandal
Maduro put some of his own people in prison over the graft of billions of dollars. Theories abound as to why.
Anti-Taliban groups come together and call to resist with all means
As the international community is starting to discuss how to engage with the Taliban, the importance of the Vienna conference will continue to grow.
Central Asian leaders display loyalty to Kremlin at the military parade in Moscow
Russia’s allies in Central Asia are in a delicate position. They have to maintain neutrality while being pressured by Russia, who is leveraging the region’s political, security, and economic reliance.
Pakistan on edge: Protests continue as Imran Khan's arrest sparks outrage
Former Pakistani PM Imran Khan was arrested from a courthouse on Tuesday afternoon. The news of Khan's arrest has sparked heated demonstrations and raised concerns about political instability in Pakistan.
In Turkey, election manipulation abounds ahead of May 14 vote
Ahead of general elections on May 14, the ruling Justice and Development Party seem to have resorted to foul play and tricks to steer the votes in their favor.
Lao political, environmental activist survives gun attack
A activist in Laos was the victim of an attempted extrajudicial murder. As he recovers in the hospital, human rights watchdogs are calling on the government to investigate the crime.
Building the homo militaris: Russia’s long game of militarized patriotism
The Kremlin’s promotion of militaristic patriotism has had a strong effect on Russian society. But the Soviet legacy of cynicism and “double-think” is actually working to mitigate it.
Press freedom also means media in indigenous languages: The case of France's Occitan
Media production and access is essential to the revitalization of indigenous languages, as the case of Occitan, spoken less and less in southern France, demonstrates.
The plight of Kurdish journalists in their struggle for free expression
Kurdish journalists lack a recognized nation state and political recognition. They face opposition from their host countries, which attempt to erase their identity and suppress their freedom of expression.
The quiet weeding out of Hong Kong’s media landscape
In 20 years, Hong Kong has dropped from 18th to 148th in the World Press Freedom Ranking, which translates into less critical coverage, less investigative reporting, and a less appealing work environment for talented journalists.
Unfreedom Monitor Report: Cameroon
Advox research into digital authoritarianism in Cameroon is now in a report. Read an excerpt and download the full pdf.
Why don't global south postcolonial countries associate themselves with post-Soviet countries of Eastern Europe?
Analogies between postcolonialism and postsocialism might be too quick and, at the very least, require examining the region’s active participation in the policing of the physical and symbolic borders of “Europe.”
Hong Kong dismantles grassroots direct elections
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said: "We must prevent those who opposed China and stirred up chaos in Hong Kong from hijacking, manipulating, paralysing the District Councils."
The Caribbean outlook on World Press Freedom Day
Despite dismissiveness from elected officials, as well as instances of verbal abuse and cyberbullying, Caribbean journalists press on.
Poisoned, soaked, but still dancing: Georgia’s ‘Zoomers’ enter the political arena
Images of young Georgians standing unflinchingly against water cannons, wearing snorkels, face masks, and scarves to protect from tear gas, or dancing as riot police advanced were widely shared.
Civil society groups share human rights agenda ahead of Thailand’s general election
"If these prosecutions are not terminated, it would be difficult to solve this deep-rooted political problem in Thailand."
Fighting violent extremism in the Sahel and West Africa: A real challenge for religious leaders
Although the state bears the primary responsibility for protecting populations, it seems equally crucial to regard religious leaders as “strong partners in the prevention and incitement of criminal atrocities.
The Bihu dance of Assam breaks two world records with massive performance in India
On April 13th, a staggering 11,304 Bihu dancers and 2,548 drummers gathered for the largest Bihu performance in Guwahati, the capital of the Indian State of Assam, and broke two world records.
