What didn’t happen in the world in 2023 🎧 Erik Voeten, Elizabeth N. Saunders, and Kim Yi Dionne - December 27, 2023 Good Authority editors discuss what could have but didn't happen in world politics in 2023.
UK’s refugees-to-Rwanda plan could undermine Northern Ireland peace Stacie Goddard - December 1, 2023 A contested policy to send asylum seekers who arrive in the U.K. to Rwanda could rattle the Good Friday agreement.
What do Africans think about the proposed East African Federation? Mercy Kaburu and Carolyn Logan - September 9, 2022 An Afrobarometer survey suggests citizens aren’t aware of the plans for regional integration
How many Ukrainian refugees have been trafficked? We won’t know for years. Laura A. Dean - July 21, 2022 Their fates will depend in part on which country they’ve landed in – and whether that country has comprehensive policies and services
What are the rules of war and how do they apply in Ukraine? Michael John Williams - May 8, 2022 Investigating alleged Russian war crimes is a painstaking process
Americans see Afghan and Ukrainian refugees very differently. Why? Scott Williamson, Melina Platas, Lauren Prather, Claire Adida, and Adeline Lo - April 28, 2022 But research suggests some approaches can help communities successfully absorb all kinds of refugees
The U.K. wants to send refugees to Rwanda. That’s become a trend. Beatty Riedl, Eleanor Paynter, and Christa Kuntzelman - April 20, 2022 Similar plans in other countries suggest the U.K. program will endanger migrants, not protect them.
Are Russian troops using sexual violence as a weapon? Here’s what we know. Esther Hallsdóttir - March 23, 2022 They’ve done so in Ukraine in the past. Five factors make it likely this time as well.
Biden promises to fight transnational corruption. But will the U.S. target friends as well as foes? Victor Peskin and Mieczysław Boduszyński - December 20, 2021 Washington tends to avoid confronting allies, this research shows
Long-serving African presidents say the people want them to stay on. Is that true? Boniface Dulani - November 4, 2021 The third in Afrobarometer’s special democracy summit series on Africa.
‘The Black and White Rainbow’ reveals how hard it is to build a ‘rainbow’ nation Laura Seay - September 2, 2021 Unity in diversity was one of the hopes of post-apartheid South Africa.
Can you be a citizen of more than one country? Here’s what to learn from Liberia. Fulya Felicity Turkmen - August 26, 2021 A new book explores national and transnational citizenship in the 21st century
Mozambique’s Islamist insurgents are on the run. Integrating former rebel fighters could help usher in peace. Kai M. Thaler - August 26, 2021 Bringing ex-insurgents into a government’s security forces can win over locals and improve intelligence — but only if it is done well.
This book explains when peacekeeping works — and when it doesn’t Naazneen H. Barma - August 19, 2021 To give peace a chance, start with the grass roots, not the treetops.
Michela Wrong’s new book explores the 2013 murder of an exiled Rwandan official Laura Seay - August 12, 2021 Extensive interviews reveal more about the country’s campaign against dissidents
The E.U. is furious that Belarus allowed more than 4,000 migrants to cross into Europe Gerasimos Tsourapas - August 12, 2021 As countries in the global north outsource refugee management to the global south, expect more poor countries to ‘weaponize’ migration.
3 books offer deep dive into Kenyan politics Laura Seay and Kim Yi Dionne - July 29, 2021 This week’s African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular examines bureaucratic wrangling, the links between land and violence, and refugee life
Kenya might expel refugees to their home countries Kristin Michelitch and Jeremy Horowitz - June 24, 2021 How do Kenyans view refugees — and what would boost public support for letting them stay?
As refugee numbers rise, many countries want to shut them out for security concerns Sara M.T. Polo and Julian Wucherpfennig - June 21, 2021 What the data reveal on the link between hosting refugees and risks of terrorist attacks from foreign groups
Humanitarian organizations won’t listen to groups on the ground, in part because of institutionalized racism Michael Barnett - June 7, 2021 Here’s what prompted the push toward localization — and what’s blocking this change
Can Jews and Palestinians live peacefully in Israel? Here’s a closer look. Stephanie Dornschneider, Sarina Schäfer, Samer Halabi, Oliver Christ, Miles Hewstone, and Danit Sobol-Sarag - June 4, 2021 Three things to know about Israel's "mixed cities."
How can the world hold Belarus accountable? Alexander Cooley - May 25, 2021 Technology has become the ‘long arm’ of authoritarians
Donors are cutting food aid for refugees in Rwanda. That’s devastating for people unable to work. Erika Frydenlund - May 24, 2021 Half these refugees have been in this camp for more than 20 years, unable to move forward with their lives.
Chinese companies have different ways of managing African employees Ding Fei - April 8, 2021 My research finds several different factors that influence labor and management decisions
Rwanda’s government now uses the annual genocide remembrance as a political tool Gretchen Baldwin - April 7, 2021 Over the next 100 days, the government will actively remind citizens of the ethnic divisions that left hundreds of thousands dead
The International Criminal Court just elected a new chief prosecutor. Here’s what you need to know. Nastaran Far, Hailey Robertson, and Kelebogile Zvobgo - February 16, 2021 The ICC’s future will rest on the new prosecutor’s success in opening, trying and closing cases — and being fair
There’s a long, troubling history behind the Capitol attack Kathleen Klaus and Aditi Malik - January 22, 2021 Although the siege surprised almost everyone, it did not emerge randomly
A longtime leader in Ghana has died. Jerry John Rawlings leaves a complicated legacy. Jeffrey Paller and George Bob-Milliar - November 14, 2020 He was an authoritarian who then won two multiparty elections
What the new ‘Mulan’ movie gets right about women in combat Jessica Trisko Darden - September 10, 2020 Women can be bad guys, too.
This tiny African country got the U.N.’s top court to investigate Myanmar for genocide Oumar Ba - January 28, 2020 Why would Gambia step up for the Muslim minority Rohingya thousands of miles away?
For the third time in 11 years, Rwanda changed the language used in primary schools Timothy P. Williams - January 24, 2020 Here’s what this means for children, teachers and the nation
Trump has given quid pro quos a bad rap. Here’s where they actually help. Desha Girod - January 21, 2020 In development funding, donor countries say they expect aid recipients to shape up
Trump wants to pull Cameroon’s preferential trade status. Here’s what you need to know. Travis Curtice - November 28, 2019 Are human rights concerns the real reason or just a pretext?
Is China’s influence at the United Nations all it’s cracked up to be? Courtney J. Fung - October 6, 2019 Here are five things to know
African dictators have been losing power — some to democratic governments. Militaries can tip the scales toward democracy. Nathaniel Allen and Alexander Noyes - September 15, 2019 These five factors make the difference between militaries that support autocracy and those that allow free elections.
African countries are opening their borders. What does this mean for security, identity and trade? Lisa Mueller and Abhit Bhandari - August 12, 2019 People support free trade, but there are other bonds.
‘Foreign Intervention in Africa After the Cold War’ looks at new players and old powers in Africa’s conflicts Anna Mwaba - July 11, 2019 Author Elizabeth Schmidt tackles important questions on foreign intervention in one accessible text.
In Tunisia, more women in office can make all the difference Lindsay J. Benstead - July 5, 2019 Electoral gender quotas can improve women’s representation, even in democratizing and authoritarian regimes.
Dangerous skin bleaching has become a public health crisis. Corporate marketing lies behind it. Ramya Vijaya - June 13, 2019 As a result, when African nations ban bleaching products, the bans will probably backfire
African governments are cracking down on the news media. Their citizens might be okay with that. Jeffrey Conroy-Krutz - May 12, 2019 When Africans think of “the media,” often they think of the hatemongers and fake-news peddlers.
South Africa’s apartheid regime ended 25 years ago Evan Lieberman - April 26, 2019 Democracy has taken root with substantial success.
The Trump administration opposes the International Criminal Court. Do Americans agree? Kelebogile Zvobgo - April 26, 2019 In short, it’s complicated.
The weather stations that monitor climate change are at risk. This is why. Kenneth Schultz and Justin Mankin - April 21, 2019 Civil war and other conflicts are costing us valuable data.
The U.S. revoked the visa for the ICC prosecutor. That bodes poorly for international criminal justice. Judith Kelley - April 8, 2019 If the U.S. doesn’t respect international law, why should other nations?
Democracy matters for health care. Here’s how we measured this. Tom Bollyky, Tara Templin, and Simon Wigley - March 21, 2019 The effects are greatest for chronic diseases.
The U.S. is now negotiating with the Taliban. Would negotiations work with al-Shabab? Peter Mackenzie and Joanne Crouch - February 8, 2019 [caption id="attachment_83536" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Kenya Red Cross personnel help a
Sometimes autocrats strengthen their power by expanding women’s rights. Here’s how that works. Daniela Donno and Anne-Kathrin Kreft - November 23, 2018 [caption id="attachment_80512" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed addresses
There’s another way to build peace. And it doesn’t come from the top down. Séverine Autesserre - October 23, 2018 [caption id="attachment_79254" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Women line up outside a polling
Why this strain of Ebola will be far more difficult to stop Lindsay Scorgie-Porter - October 19, 2018 [caption id="attachment_79103" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A medical worker prepares to treat
John Bolton attacked the ICC. Cooperating with it might be a better way to protect U.S. interests. Terrence Chapman and Stephen Chaudoin - September 14, 2018 [caption id="attachment_77756" align="aligncenter" width="960"] National security adviser John Bolton criticizes
Kofi Annan was a strong voice for peace. Rwanda was where he fell short. Timothy Longman - August 20, 2018 Kofi Annan, the first U.N. secretary general from sub-Saharan Africa, died
This new history of Uganda is a must-read Laura Seay - August 17, 2018 [caption id="attachment_76401" align="aligncenter" width="180"] Cambridge University Press[/caption] Every January, I
Xi Jinping is visiting Africa this week. Here’s why China is such a popular development partner. Deborah Bräutigam - July 24, 2018 [caption id="attachment_76016" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Well-wishers holding flags wait for the
The International Criminal Court was established 20 years ago. Here’s how. Heidi Haddad - July 17, 2018 [caption id="attachment_75719" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga hears the
Fifty years ago, American troops abandoned Khe Sanh. Here’s how the U.S. got over ‘Vietnam syndrome.’ Jonathan DiCicco and Benjamin Fordham - July 5, 2018 [caption id="attachment_75322" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] In this Feb. 7, 1968, photo,
One-third of the world’s population lives in a declining democracy. That includes the United States. Matthew Wilson and Anna Lührmann - July 4, 2018 [caption id="attachment_75078" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A man holds a flag outside
Armed peacekeepers really do protect civilians — with one big exception Brandon Prins and Anup Phayal - June 14, 2018 [caption id="attachment_74396" align="aligncenter" width="960"] U.N. peacekeepers from Rwanda serve at
Will 2018’s ‘pink wave’ of female candidates make it in Congress? Almost certainly. Here’s how. Pär Zetterberg and Amanda Clayton - May 30, 2018 [caption id="attachment_73900" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Democratic 2nd District House candidate Kara
How dangerous is it when Trump calls some immigrants ‘animals’? Daniel Solomon and Aliza Luft - May 25, 2018 [caption id="attachment_73790" align="aligncenter" width="960"] President Trump speaks to media representatives
Africa’s big new free trade agreement, explained Landry Signé - March 29, 2018 [caption id="attachment_71592" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Rwandan President Paul Kagame, chairman of
Did Xi Jinping just become China’s strongman? Not quite. Joseph Wright, Erica Frantz, and Andrea Kendall-Taylor - March 13, 2018 https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/world/chinese-president-positioned-to-rule-indefinitely/2018/02/25/fe8eec10-1a58-11e8-98f5-ceecfa8741b6_video.html What does it mean that the Chinese Communist Party
It’s World AIDS Day. Who actually needs more AIDS awareness? Kim Yi Dionne - December 1, 2017 [caption id="attachment_66813" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Angolan community members at an HIV/AIDS
War-torn Congo has been called the ‘rape capital of the world.’ Here is how fighters think about sexual violence. Nina Wilén and Bert Ingelaere - August 31, 2017 [caption id="attachment_62716" align="aligncenter" width="960"] People listen to Jan Egeland, then-U.N. undersecretary-general
Three years ago, the Islamic State massacred Yazidis in Iraq. Why? Murat Tezcür - August 15, 2017 [caption id="attachment_62370" align="aligncenter" width="960"] In 2015, a Yazidi woman, who
The key to Kenya’s close election: the power of partisanship Victor Rateng, Leonardo Arriola, and Donghyun Choi - August 7, 2017 [caption id="attachment_61985" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Supporters chant during a campaign rally
Here’s why Paul Kagame won a third term as Rwanda’s president Melina Platas - August 5, 2017 A young boy donning a paper hat emblazoned with the
No, al-Shabab is not deadlier than Boko Haram. Here are better numbers. Salem Solomon and Casey Frechette - July 21, 2017 [caption id="attachment_61248" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Somali soldiers stand guard at the
There’s another big reason U.S. foreign aid is important: It helps the U.S. get what it wants. Haley Swedlund - July 19, 2017 [caption id="attachment_61084" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Foreign governments don't passively receive financial
Is Ivory Coast seeing a second ‘economic miracle’? Kim Yi Dionne and Abou Bamba - July 14, 2017 [caption id="attachment_60876" align="aligncenter" width="960"] President of the Islamic Development Bank
Kenyans will vote in August. Why are NGO-government relations an issue? Jennifer Brass - June 16, 2017 [caption id="attachment_59997" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta of the
This book documents bias against African Muslims in France Kim Yi Dionne and Claire Adida - June 9, 2017 [caption id="attachment_59248" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Malian Lassana Bathily, a Muslim employee,
The Internet is changing civil wars. Watch out for these five trends. Barbara Walter - June 8, 2017 [caption id="attachment_59494" align="aligncenter" width="960"] South Sudanese refugees shelter from the
Rwanda’s gacaca courts are hailed as a post-genocide success. The reality is more complicated. Laura Seay - June 2, 2017 [caption id="attachment_59341" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Men walking in the Gacaca court's
Three flawed ideas are hurting international peacebuilding Séverine Autesserre - March 15, 2017 [caption id="attachment_55314" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Members of former rebel groups wait
Trump’s plan for Syria safe zones could put civilians at even more risk Yu-Ming Liou and Megan Stewart - February 23, 2017 [caption id="attachment_54539" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Displaced civilians fleeing violence from forces
Morocco just joined the African Union. Here’s why that matters. Hannah Armstrong - February 20, 2017 [caption id="attachment_54370" align="aligncenter" width="960"] The king of Morocco, Mohammed VI,
Did Congo’s crisis just get a lot worse? Philip Roessler and Harry Verhoeven - February 3, 2017 [caption id="attachment_53587" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Congo police forces clash with civilians
60 years later, are colonial-era laws holding Africa back? Ryan Briggs and Maya Berinzon - January 20, 2017 [caption id="attachment_52661" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo, left, takes
Do Africans still want democracy? This new report gives a qualified yes. Robert Mattes and Michael Bratton - November 25, 2016 [caption id="attachment_50077" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A member of the Economic Freedom
140 countries will phase out HFCs. What are these and why do they matter? Alexander Ovodenko - November 3, 2016 [caption id="attachment_48871" align="aligncenter" width="960"] The son of an Indian migrant
How to build the better cities of tomorrow? It takes careful planning — and political science research. Jeffrey Paller - October 20, 2016 [caption id="attachment_48150" align="aligncenter" width="960"] In 1975, only three cities worldwide
Here’s what Congo can teach the world about peace Séverine Autesserre - October 19, 2016 [caption id="attachment_47963" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Sunset in Idjwi. (Julien Harneis via
5 things to know about the new U.N. secretary general Michael Schroeder - October 13, 2016 [caption id="attachment_47703" align="aligncenter" width="960"] U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees António
Here’s how African leaders stage ‘constitutional coups’: They tweak the constitution to stay in power. Kamissa Camara - September 16, 2016 [caption id="attachment_46354" align="aligncenter" width="960"] People wait outside a polling station
Africa’s largest public-opinion survey is under threat, but here’s what you can do about it E. Gyimah-Boadi and Carolyn Logan - September 9, 2016 [caption id="attachment_46038" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] An Afrobarometer interviewer conducts a survey
Where do African women have more power? Surprise — in countries emerging from war. Aili Tripp - July 15, 2016 [caption id="attachment_43742" align="aligncenter" width="1484"] Catherine Samba-Panza was the acting president
Africa is moving toward a massive and important free trade agreement Luke Warford - July 14, 2016 [caption id="attachment_43725" align="aligncenter" width="960"] President Obama stands alongside workers at
‘Sex worker activism has exploded throughout Africa,’ and this new book explores how Kim Yi Dionne and Chi Mgbako - July 8, 2016 What do African sex workers really need? A 33-year-old sex
The opposite of Brexit: African Union launches an all-Africa passport Anne Frugé - July 1, 2016 [caption id="attachment_38201" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Africa, from space. (NASA)[/caption] On June
Is Rwanda’s authoritarian state sustainable? Laura Seay - June 3, 2016 [caption id="attachment_41324" align="aligncenter" width="960"] From left: Tony Blair, former British
Here are the books in the third annual African Politics Summer Reading Spectacular Laura Seay and Kim Yi Dionne - May 24, 2016 [caption id="attachment_40980" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] Just a few of the books
The World Health Organization is electing a new leader. Here’s what you need to know. Karen Grépin, Joshua Busby, and Jeremy Youde - May 12, 2016 [caption id="attachment_40344" align="aligncenter" width="908"] People pass a banner that is
In central Africa, citizens are using social media to build democracy. Here’s how. Elie Smith - April 6, 2016 [caption id="attachment_38607" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Congolese displaced residents from the southern
Uniting warring armies after a civil war sounds like a good idea. Here’s why it usually fails. Ronald Krebs and Roy Licklider - April 3, 2016 [caption id="attachment_38219" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Members of the Sudan People's Liberation
What new evidence from Somalia tells us about when civilians decided to flee war zones Justin Schon - February 23, 2016 [caption id="attachment_36166" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Women walk in Dadaab refugee camp
Here’s this year’s (flawed) Corruption Perception Index. Those flaws are useful. Dan Hough - January 27, 2016 On Wednesday, Transparency International (TI), the world’s leading anti-corruption organization, is
There are signs of renewed ethnic violence in Burundi Cara Jones - December 15, 2015 [caption id="attachment_33525" align="aligncenter" width="908"] A Burundian expatriate woman holds a
In Nigeria, newly appointed officials signal shift in economic policy Zainab Usman - December 1, 2015 [caption id="attachment_32777" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Kayode Fayemi, Nigeria's new minister of
Should we be using the G-word in Burundi? Michael Broache and Kate Cronin-Furman - November 15, 2015 [caption id="attachment_32218" align="aligncenter" width="908"] A protest underway against President Pierre
How to unite enemy fighters into a single national army (and what that means for peace) Nina Wilén - November 11, 2015 [caption id="attachment_31511" align="aligncenter" width="1484"] Recruits of the Congolese Revolutionary Army,