Why Colombia’s ELN freed a soccer star’s parents
Research on kidnappings by armed groups explains the impact on Colombia’s peace process.
It’s been a great nine years for TMC political science analysis
We’ve published thousands of articles. Here are some of our editors’ favorites.
African politics in 2022: More than coups and conflict
The TMC 2022 roundups: African politics
‘Scientist Wins the World Cup’ by Scientist: The Week in One Song
Argentina and France advance to the World Cup final
The World Cup of Democracy might look like this
What if we cheered for the more-democratic country in each World Cup match? Here’s who would win.
Qatar is taking the heat for FIFA corruption
Investigations into FIFA’s actions reveal the global soccer organization has a long history of bribery and money-laundering. Will that change?
Why Qatar’s World Cup was controversial a decade before the first game
Global sports put Qatar’s human rights record in the spotlight. That’s likely to continue — and may have prompted changes in the country.
Olympic officials resisted pressure to ban Iran from the Tokyo Games, but they’ve banned teams before
In these 9 cases, sporting authorities tried to ban a country from international competition — sometimes for years
European soccer’s Super League is a naked grab for money. But fans may still be willing to accept it.
The breakaway league includes 12 top European teams
Saudi, UAE Twitter takedowns won’t curb rampant disinformation on Arab Twitter
Recent activity by social media networks to rein in bot and troll networks is only a token gesture.
Why Saudi Arabia is building the tallest building in the world
Autocracies build more skyscrapers.
Kosovo and Serbia might redraw their border. Could this keep them from going to war?
[caption id="attachment_77510" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A woman sits by a grave
Vladimir Putin’s approval ratings are dropping. This is why.
By rights, Vladimir Putin should be having the time of
For Albanians, it’s not just an eagle. Here’s the deeper story on those World Cup fines.
[caption id="attachment_75214" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Switzerland's Granit Xhaka celebrates with the
The Supreme Court’s ‘travel ban’ decision is what you’d expect if this were a normal presidency
[caption id="attachment_75035" align="aligncenter" width="960"] People protest the Supreme Court ruling
What Trump doesn’t get about ideology in Iran. It’s about nationalism, not theocracy.
[caption id="attachment_74879" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Iranian fans at a stadium before
Russia put World Cup stadiums in some surprising places. This is why.
[caption id="attachment_74817" align="aligncenter" width="960"] People walk to the World Cup
Russia used to see itself as part of Europe. Here’s why that changed.
[caption id="attachment_74544" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a
Russia is hosting this year’s World Cup. What could go wrong?
[caption id="attachment_74469" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A souvenir vendor shakes hands with
This is what helps stop big corporations from bribing politicians
[caption id="attachment_37143" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Protesters demand the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff,
The Kremlin and Russia’s regional governments are at odds. That’s a problem for Putin.
[caption id="attachment_54644" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Russian President Vladimir Putin leads a
Nice now has a reputation as a breeding ground for terrorists
[caption id="attachment_44348" align="aligncenter" width="960"] People arrive with flowers to add to
Here’s how the Euro soccer tournament will affect the Brexit vote.
[caption id="attachment_42501" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Activists with the E.U. flag and
How Monday’s England-Slovakia soccer match just might influence Brexit
On June 23, U.K. voters will decide whether to leave
Surveys show Russian nationalism is on the rise. This explains a lot about the country’s foreign and domestic politics.
[caption id="attachment_41302" align="aligncenter" width="960"] The Russian and Olympic flags fly side-by-side
Should the U.S. have indicted FIFA officials? Ask the experts.
[caption id="attachment_27354" align="aligncenter" width="3000"] U.S. midfielder Carli Lloyd is hugged
How FIFA ignored all the essential steps to weed out corruption
[caption id="attachment_25489" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Raindrops cover a sign outside the
How Watergate helps explain how the U.S. can prosecute FIFA officials
[caption id="attachment_25412" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Belgium's Vincent Kompany, left, Argentina's Lionel
The most popular Monkey Cage posts in 2014
2014 was Monkey Cage's first full calendar year at The
Forecasting the 2014 Brazilian election
Joshua Tucker: The following is a guest post from political
What the new bank of BRICS is all about
[caption id="attachment_13013" align="aligncenter" width="1484"] Leaders of the BRICS nations,
Arabs do care about Gaza
Since the Arab uprisings began in late 2010, Palestine has
Could Brazil’s World Cup loss really affect the coming presidential election?
[caption id="attachment_12783" align="aligncenter" width="620"] A passer-by reads a newspaper on
Could Brazil's World Cup loss really affect the coming presidential election?
[caption id="attachment_12783" align="aligncenter" width="620"] A passer-by reads a newspaper on
How diverse national soccer teams challenge anti-immigrant and racialized politics in France and Germany
[caption id="attachment_12626" align="aligncenter" width="512"] German player Mesut Ozil meets Angela
Why all the illegal street vending? Ask the mayor
[caption id="attachment_12425" align="aligncenter" width="680"] A street vendor in Bogotá, Colombia.
The most important soccer is not being played in Brazil but in refugee camps in Jordan
[caption id="attachment_12066" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] A soccer tournament in the Za'atari
Race and racism in Honduran soccer and society
[caption id="attachment_12055" align="aligncenter" width="652"] The Honduran national team, here posing
Can soccer unite the Belgians?
[caption id="attachment_11721" align="aligncenter" width="474" special=""] The Belgium national football team,
Soccer breeds nationalism and anti-regime protests in Iran
[caption id="attachment_11779" align="aligncenter" width="398" special=""] Iran's soccer fans protest their
Why are there so few Latinos on the U.S. soccer team?
[caption id="attachment_11770" align="aligncenter" width="662" special=""] Omar Gonzalez in a 2013
Brazil’s protest paradox
We continue our series on politics, political science and the World Cup (here
Brazil's protest paradox
We continue our series on politics, political science and the World Cup (here
National characteristics do not explain soccer styles
[caption id="attachment_11550" align="aligncenter" width="1024" special=""] Brazilian football star Neymar, second
How the left and the right talk differently about the ethnicity of German soccer players
[caption id="attachment_11509" align="aligncenter" width="300" special=""] German national team players Mesut
The (de) Gaulle of it: Fractious French attitude and its twitchy national team
[caption id="attachment_11256" align="aligncenter" width="400" special=""] Charles De Gaulle (Office of
‘The other French team’: Soccer and independence in Algeria
[caption id="attachment_11434" align="aligncenter" width="620" special=""] Fans of Algeria's soccer team
'The other French team': Soccer and independence in Algeria
[caption id="attachment_11434" align="aligncenter" width="620" special=""] Fans of Algeria's soccer team
El Tri: A pagan religion for all
[caption id="attachment_11166" align="aligncenter" width="512" special=""] Fans of Mexico's soccer team
World Cup participation increases state aggression
This is the second post in our series on politics,
Diversity is good for team performance in soccer
This is the first in a series of posts that
Is democracy a Western idea?
This is a guest post by Diego Von Vacano, a
Playing World Cup Soccer Breeds Nationalistic Aggression
bq. Nationalism is widely viewed as a force for interstate
The Rio Protests: Who, What, Why, and Will They Matter?
This is a guest post by Nicholas Barnes, a PhD
Brazil is a Stable and Growing Democracy – And We’re Not Going to Take It Any More!!!
The following guest post is from University of Minnesota political
Political Futebol: The World Cup and Brazilian Democracy
We welcome back Diego von Vacano , a political theory
What do legislatures in authoritarian regimes do?
No, this post is not going to feature another picture
Our Man in London: Having a Night Mayor
Once again, we bring you Alastiar Ruffles on the 2012
World Cup Predictions
"Paul the octopus":http://edition.cnn.com/2010/SPORT/football/07/09/germany.octopus.worldcup.final/index.html?hpt=T2&fbid=nHCmPl-9gl- and I are picking Spain, "Erik":https://themonkeycage.org/2010/07/the_final.html and
The Final
The Netherlands-Spain it will be. This guarantees that a new
A Proposal to Improve Overtime in the World Cup
As I watched Ghana and Uruguay move through a scoreless
More Politics and World Cup (Really, just more World Cup)
There is surely something interesting to be said about the
More World Cup Ramblings
It's been fun so far, except of course if you
Random World Cup Observations
I had wanted to organize a true Monkey Cage pool,
Realism and the World Cup
In typical Realist fashion, Dan Drezner wonders why the world's
More Soccer and Political Violence in Africa
Rebels of the Angolan Front for the Liberation of the
US Catches a Break
No, not the latest unemployment figures, but our draw for
Politics Everywhere: World Cup Qualification Edition
Yesterday the final qualification matches for next summer's World Cup