by Jiyeon Han | Oct 17, 2026 | George Mason University
If an active-duty military officer works inside a civilian government agency, who is really in charge of that officer? The civilian agency, or the military that the officer still belongs to? Indonesia made that question much more important in 2025. In March, Indonesia...
by Gayoung Park | Oct 17, 2026 | George Mason University
How Democracy Dies Silently Without Brute Force It is rare for a dictator to seize a nation overnight through brute force. Instead, democracies often break down very quietly. Elections are still held, courts remain open, and the constitution is still there, but it all...
by Yeonjeong So | Oct 17, 2026 | George Mason University
Introduction What if a country could still hold elections and call itself a democracy while its political system was becoming increasingly unequal? Serbia still holds elections, but that does not mean that its political system works on equal terms. The country holds...
by Yeowon Jung | Oct 16, 2026 | George Mason University
When people think about how democracy dies, they often imagine violent military coups. However, in the modern world, democracy usually dies slowly, legally, and from within. Tunisia was once celebrated as the sole success story of the 2011 Arab Spring. ...
by Carolina Rivas | Oct 8, 2026 | Boston University
In 2026, the Supreme Court allowed President Trump to fire the Federal Trade Commissioner (FTC), overturning a major restraint on presidential power. By a vote of 6-3, the justices struck down a federal law that bars the president from firing members of the FTC except...
