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In conclusion, it also reflects on what an alternative vision for what a more limited aid future could look like. One based on the principles of ‘working politically’, and embracing and navigating uncertainty, in contrast (or complement?) to a simplified ‘what works’ approach.

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From a few ‘big wins’ on certain issues, it has demonstrated excellent value for money. The blog dives into these calculations and some examples. As well as the need for a nuanced understanding of VFM:

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The blog draws on our experience documenting the Traction programme in Malawi for several years. The programme follows an issue-based approach, leveraging organic incentives for change and working with a principle of ‘keeping money (mostly) off the table’

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This is fundamental to their theory of change, but a side-effect can be lower costs.

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Politically smart approaches can embody a different vision of aid. One that is less fundamentally about transferring resources to fill resource gaps or ‘buy results’, and more about facilitating local partners to achieve their own objectives.

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For over a decade now, the need for more politically smart aid has been a familiar refrain. Mostly based on a diagnosis of ‘development problems’ as fundamentally politically. But is what is less emphasised – and worth doing now! – is how they are often lower cost

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Aid budgets are shrinking and ‘working politically’ may be more important than ever My new @odi.global blog: odi.org/en/insights/...

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Today’s more blatant infringements on freedom of speech should be met with just as wide dismay.

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In 2024, Gove’s move saw opposition from those worried their activism would now be classed as extremist. They were diverse groups, not natural allies: Countryside Alliance for fox-hunting, the National Secular Society for religion out of the state, alongside the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

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More than a hundred people were arrested at protests this weekend, including a pensioner for holding a placard with this Private Eye cartoon. This is patently absurd.

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The decision to class Palestine Action as a proscribed terrorist organisation – on a par with al-Qaeda and ISIS – and as a result making it an arrestable offence to express support for them, has had predictable consequences.

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Yet now it is a Labour Government that has slid further down the slippery slope of expanding definitions of extremism and terrorism, and policing on that basis.

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Angela Rayner picks apart new Tory extremism definition in response to Michael Gove

Some in the Labour Party critiqued Gove’s move then. Angela Rayner was described in the press as ‘picking apart new Tory extremism definition’ and ‘demolishing Michael Gove’s measures’ www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kEu...

youtube.com

YouTube video by PoliticsJOE

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At the time, I wrote: 'Liberal democracies face a genuine balancing act in regulating hate speech, protection from intimidation and freedom of expression. But, if in tension, protecting fundamental democratic rights to free speech and protest should be the priority.'

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In the piece, from March 2024, I argued that Michael Gove's move to redefine 'extremism' was dangerously anti-democratic and risked stifling activism.

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4. The Trump effect: a sharp decline in perceptions of the US. Globally, China is viewed more positively than the United States for the first time.

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3. Amongst citizens globally commitment to a ‘rules-based international order’ remains somewhat stable. But with large parts of Africa the notable exception. Unsurprisingly: why commit to a so-called ‘international order’ shaped elsewhere, without their involvement?

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2. Pretty much everywhere is dissatisfied with the performance of their Governments. How do countries resist the anti-democratic tendencies of populism in such an universally anti-politics era?

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Prof Nic Cheeseman @fromagehomme.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

1. Globally, ‘improving living standards’ is seen as the main purpose of democracy. More than free elections or protecting rights. Attempts to build democratic resilience that don’t grapple with the need for, and difficulties of, effective governance could miss the point.

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Reposted by Sam Sharp

Fascinating work from @samtsharp.bsky.social and Ayesha Khan on the role played by women's movements in the fight for democracy around the world. Essential reading

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Stefan Dercon @gamblingondev.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

Making cup cakes and vanilla coffees great again. 2nd top tariff (47%) on Madagascar ( extreme poverty 80%) to punish them for selling vanilla (production 3000 tons, top export to US). instead of hockey mums buying from US producers (production 0.2 tons).

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Jennifer McCoy @jennifermccoy.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

What can the U.S. learn from other countries living through threats to democracy? Lessons from our global research and 15 case studies distilled in my new commentary with @beattyriedl.bsky.social Ken Roberts, and @muratsomer-eng.bsky.social include: (1/3) goodauthority.org/news/us-demo...

goodauthority.org

U.S. democracy is under attack. Here are some lessons for democracy’s defenders.

A global study of democratic backsliding and resilience offers ways to resist authoritarian attacks.

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kim yi dionne (she/her) @dadakim.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

Want to know more about how democratic backsliding happens and how to counter it? See this fully open access issue of AAPSS, co-edited by @beattyriedl.bsky.social, Jennifer McCoy, Ken Roberts, and Murat Somer: journals.sagepub.com/toc/anna/712/1

journals.sagepub.com

Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.

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Ken Opalo @kopalo.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

This cartoonish understanding of political development is actually quite common. Especially among evangelists of “Strong Western Institutions.” You’ve just got rid of Saddam Hussein and seek stability? Just add a liberal constitution and elections and stir.

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Thanks in particular to all the activists who gave up their time to be interviewed. Our team also put together this short video where I talk through our findings.

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The paper also discusses other strategies these movements use to counter a dual backlash to gender equality and democracy. For example, building new alliances (including w. progressive elements of religious groups where possible) and utilising transnational and diaspora networks.

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We see political secularism fading from the forefront of feminist activism in many countries. However, these movements still rely heavily on secular institutions, such as secular legal and constitutional frameworks, to challenge restrictions and hold onto their rights.

Our other major contribution is to explore how women's movements navigate religious politics. In many contexts, its politicised religion - of different forms - that fuels a backlash to gender equality. This backlash itself is often intertwined with broader democratic backsliding

For those interested in democratic resilience, the role of women's movements deserve attention (and the battle to protect their civic space becomes even more pressing) These movements are not just advocates for gender equality, but essential to sustaining democracy.

We discuss the #NiUnaMenos movement in Argentina; the Women, Life, Freedom protests in Iran; the Aurat March in Pakistan and the 2019 Sudanese revolution amongst others.

But also, as we try to show, empirically: historically and today women's movements have been at the forefront of struggles for democracy, often allying with broader social justice movements.

Lee Morgenbesser @lmorgenbesser.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

Much is written on democratic decline (just see all the recent 'state of global democracy' reports), but less on how democracies survive. Women's movements are central to this fight. Both intrinsically: what is democracy w/o meaningful political participation of women?

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Reposted by Sam Sharp

PUBLISHED! Forget talk of a coup or self-coup, Musk's siege of America's vast federal bureaucracy is a form of state capture. It fits seamlessly with Trump's authoritarianism. I suspect this will be the most important thing I ever say about American politics. theconversation.com/is-elon-musk...

theconversation.com

Is Elon Musk taking over the US government? Here’s how ‘state capture’ works – and why we should be concerned

Elon Musk has been accused of attempting a coup or hostile takeover of the US government. His actions could better be described as a form of ‘state capture’. Here’s what that means.

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Ken Opalo @kopalo.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

Institutions are not self-executing. Enough people must be willing to do the right thing by the rules.

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southpaw @nycsouthpaw.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

Someone at the American Bar Association ate their Wheaties this morning.

ABA
It has been three weeks since Inauguration Day.
Most Americans recognize that newly elected leaders bring change. That is expected. But most Americans also expect that changes will take place in accordance with the rule of law and in an orderly manner that respects the lives of affected individuals and the work they have been asked to perform.
Instead, we see wide-scale affronts to the rule of law itself, such as attacks on constitutionally protected birthright citizenship, the dismantling of USAID and the attempts to criminalize those who support lawful programs to eliminate bias and enhance diversity.
We have seen attempts at wholesale dismantling of departments and entities created by Congress without seeking the required congressional approval to change the law. There are efforts to dismiss employees with little regard for the law and protections they merit, and social media announcements that disparage and appear to be motivated by a desire to inflame without any stated factual basis. This is chaotic. It may appeal to a few.
But it is wrong. And most Americans recognize it is wrong.
It is also contrary to the rule of law.
The American Bar Association supports the rule of law. That means holding governments, including our own, accountable under law. We stand for a legal process that is orderly and fair.
We have consistently urged the administrations of both parties to adhere to the rule of law. We stand in that familiar place again today. And we do not stand alone. Our courts stand for the rule of law as well.

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Sam Sharp @samtsharp.bsky.social · 05/02/2025

Useful explainer on the conflict in eastern Congo from @ethuin.bsky.social Including on the overemphasis on lust for minerals as the key motivation for conflict, a view 'rooted in false, outdated assumptions that greed alone drives war in eastern Congo'. www.armedgroupscentre.org/m23drc-vogel

armedgroupscentre.org

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Sam Sharp @samtsharp.bsky.social · 04/02/2025

Lessons for the US from the battles to defend democracy in central and eastern Europe: - protect civic institutions: not just political but cultural - 'dodge the trap of mirroring the political tactics of those in power' www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...

theguardian.com

Europeans on democracy’s frontlines offer advice to Americans: never give up

With the new Trump era likely to pose unprecedented challenges the message from Europe’s fragile democracies is: stay united and safeguard your institutions

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Tom Hart @thrh.bsky.social · 04/02/2025

Government needs to get a grip of its climate hypocrisy as it simultaneously weighs up approving an oilfield in the UK (because growth) www.theguardian.com/politics/202... and withdrawing financing for a natural gas project in Mozambique. on.ft.com/40KwXop UK's GDPpc is more than 30x Mozambique's.

theguardian.com

PM faces growing internal backlash over potential approval of Rosebank oilfield

Labour MPs describe ‘breaking point’ in relations, calling for Keir Starmer to stand by party’s manifesto commitments

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Sam Sharp @samtsharp.bsky.social · 04/02/2025

'Alcoholics Anonymous is an anarchist fairy tale that somehow became the backbone of addiction treatment worldwide. I am not a political theorist, but if I was I would literally never stop talking about this.' www.ft.com/content/edeb...

ft.com

Confessions of the world’s most elite sober coach

How Tony Dominguez can rescue almost anybody from the most degraded, reckless moment of their life

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Zselyke Csaky @zecsaky.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

Let’s look at the implications of the US funding freeze on international democracy support and what this means for the EU. 🧵

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Sam Sharp @samtsharp.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

Resistance, diaspora and sport's soft power: 'The first match by the Afghan women’s cricket team is placing the Taliban under additional diplomatic pressure.' thediplomat.com/2025/01/afgh...

thediplomat.com

Afghan Women’s Cricket Team Makes Their Debut – in Melbourne

The first match by the Afghan women’s cricket team is placing the Taliban under additional diplomatic pressure.

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Manoel Gehrke @manoelgehrke.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

🚨Just launched: #DemocracyDeepDive 🗳️🌍 Building on emerging literature and a range of recent real-world cases, @fromagehomme.bsky.social, Marie-Eve Desrosiers, Licia Cianetti and I distill some lessons to help rethink and strengthen democratic resilience. @europeandemocracyhub.epd.eu

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Sam Sharp @samtsharp.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

Structurally, America's wealth and constitution makes democratic breakdown unlikely Yet, threats to the quality of democracy are real. Institutional protections are weaker compared to Trump's first term, but there remains much for a vigilant civil society and media to work with

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Sam Sharp @samtsharp.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

2 themes emerge: 1. Democratic resilience usually involves civil society and institutional resistance. Protests are most effective when they are able to find allies within democratic institutions (e.g. courts, legislatures) 2. Unified opposition and coalition building are key