Authoritarian

• Political scientist Jan-Werner Müller analyzes whether Donald Trump’s authoritarian strategies, such as prioritizing personal loyalty over professional competence, are becoming counterproductive. • The author highlights the risk that specific scandals, such as the "reflecting pool disaster," could evolve into broader symbols of regime corruption, similar to how a child abuse cover-up damaged Viktor Orbán’s image. • This dynamic creates a critical trade-off for aspiring autocrats, as demanding total devotion and public election denial may consolidate power but often degrades the functional capacity of the government.

• Indonesia is experiencing a revival of authoritarian and strongman politics, driven by the rise of personalistic political parties that prioritize individual leaders over institutionalized competition. • This shift undermines the country's democratic framework by displacing structured electoral processes in favor of loyalty to powerful political figures. • The trend is significant because it suggests that democratic backsliding is not merely the result of individual presidential agendas, but a systemic evolution of the party system.

• Shiv Sena (UBT) has alleged a shift toward authoritarianism in India, claiming that democratic structures are currently under significant strain. • Through the publication Saamana, the party highlighted three primary drivers of this decline: the rise in political defections, the centralization of power, and the systematic weakening of the opposition. • These allegations matter as they reflect the growing political tension and the perceived erosion of checks and balances within the country's governance.

• A new Lowy Institute report details Xi Jinping's blueprint for Taiwan after annexation, rejecting partial autonomy in favor of full integration into China's political system. • Plans could exclude millions of Taiwanese from public life and jail tens of thousands unless they pledge loyalty to the CCP and renounce autonomy. • Chinese scholars express private doubts about the viability of the 'One Country, Two Systems' model amid Taiwan's democratic entrenchment.

The World Press Freedom Index, which assessed 180 countries, finds established journalism is ‘being asphyxiated’Press freedom around the world is at its lowest ebb in a generation, according to an influential annual index that highlights growing authoritarian pressure on the media.The average score for the 180 countries assessed by the World Press Freedom Index, compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), was the lowest in the index’s 25-year history. Continue reading...

Sociology faculty are refusing to alter syllabi, even as state targets how race, gender and inequality are taughtSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxAcross Florida universities, some sociology professors are quietly choosing not to alter their courses in response to new state guidelines restricting how topics like race, gender and sexuality can be discussed. Rather than rewriting syllabi or removing foundational material, as the new demands would call for, they say they are continuing to teach their classes as designed. The professors view the preservation of their curricula not as an act of defiance, but as a professional responsibility to provide students with a full and rigorous education.In late January, Florida’s department of education introduced what many professors are calling a censored sociology textbook for use in the state’s public colleges and universities, along with a list of proposed guidelines at state schools, restricting various discussions related to systemic discrimination, gender and sexual identity, race-conscious remedies, and the structural causes of inequality. Faculty members say this move reflects a broader effort to narrow academic freedom in higher education and follows several years of legislation aimed at reshaping public university curricula under the banner of combating “woke ideology”. Continue reading...