This interview was originally published on Princeton University Press. How can today’s liberal democracies withstand the illiberal wave sweeping the globe? What can revive our waning faith in constitutional democracy? Tocqueville’s Dilemmas, and Ours argues that Alexis de Tocqueville, one of democracy’s greatest champions and most incisive critics, can guide us forward. Drawing on Tocqueville’s major works and
TagPolitics
Brazil: A Personal Glimpse into Bolsonaro’s Defeat
Tuesday, November 1st, 2022. Nearly forty-eight hours after the result of the Brazilian presidential elections announced Bolsonaro’s loss, he speaks for the first time. After his earlier threats that he wouldn’t go down easily in an attempt to disparage the Brazilian electoral system, small groups of his supporters have taken to roads. Small groups of
An Interview with BCB’s Professor Dr. Gale Raj-Reichert
It’s a grey Berlin morning, and Prof. Gale Raj-Reichert welcomes me into her shared office in K24, offering me a seat on the couch, a glass of water, and my thoughts on the reading for our class together later in the day, “The Political Economy of Globalization.” I have always been interested in globalisation, and
The Century-Long Quarrel between Politicians and Scientists
When it comes to major modern crises—climate change, anti-vaxxers, the proliferation of weaponized technology, to name a few—it becomes clear how science and politics are intimately connected to one another. In our discussion with Siarhei Biareishyk, we looked back to the infamous Lysenko affair as a relevant chapter in history in examining questions at the intersection of science and politics.
Acts of Resistance against Hegemony: Student Activism in Professor Hanan Toukan’s PS186 Class
TW: Transphobia, Racism, Sexism, Sexual Harassment and Assault, Violence, Murder BCB Politics Professor Hanan Toukan, was recently interviewed by the college’s Civic Engagement Office and shared insights on the topic of civic engagement and activism. Before coming to BCB, Hanan was a Visiting Assistant Professor in Middle Eastern Studies at Brown University (2016-2018) and Visiting
Sin Miedo, Without Fear
(translated from Spanish) From far away I hear their songs and their screams The ground rumbles Charged by restless spirits Tired of making themselves small To fit into lines drawn to cage us We all hear it from birth and learn it as children The life lessons all women must know calladita te ves más
Musings on Liberty in the Face of Crises
These actions mark a critical and pivotal moment in the story of Western democracy, specifically in the interconnected world of the 21st century. Never before has my generation—a generation that has grown up in the so-called globalized world of “time and space compression” in which everything has become within our grasp—faced a situation where our individual liberties were curtailed for the good of the many.
From the Archives: Electoral Politics
With the American presidential primaries in full swing, Die Barliner takes a look back on some of our favorite pieces from the years concerning electoral politics. From the national elections in EU and Brazil to ballot initiatives in Tennessee and Florida, we invite you to revisit how Die Barliner authors have grappled with the frustrations and possibilities of electoral politics around the world.