Regions
With close to half of the world’s population voting in elections in 2024, the Path to Power team is taking this critical year as an opportunity to take the temperature of global democracy.
Our initial series of policy reports focus on national elections in the UK, USA, Germany (EU elections), France, Mexico, India and South Africa. The individual research projects across the team focus on case studies that span Central & Southern Asia, Central & South America and East & Southern Africa.
Central and South Asia
South Asia is a region of immense diversity and significance, both historically and in the contemporary global context. The region is home to over 1.8 billion people, with a rich tapestry of cultures, languages, and religions. It is a critical area for understanding global dynamics in terms of geopolitics, economics, democratic trends and social development. The research on South Asia is vital due to its strategic location, its rapidly growing economies, and the complex socio-political issues it faces, such as poverty, democratic challenges, climate change, and regional as well as intranational conflicts.
Research on South Asia provides valuable insights into a region that is pivotal for global politics and economic stability. It helps the public understand the intricacies of regional conflicts, the impact of economic policies, digital technologies, and the cultural dynamics that shape the lives of millions. This knowledge is crucial for policymakers, businesses, and civil society to make informed decisions that contribute to sustainable development and regional cooperation.
Research on South Asia provides valuable insights into a region that is pivotal for global politics and economic stability. It helps the public understand the intricacies of regional conflicts, the impact of economic policies, digital technologies, and the cultural dynamics that shape the lives of millions. This knowledge is crucial for policymakers, businesses, and civil society to make informed decisions that contribute to sustainable development and regional cooperation.
North and Latin America
Latin America is a region with relatively new but often unstable democracies, making it an excellent subject for comparative research. The region experiences a wide range of political phenomena, from transitions to democracy and coups to populist governments and long-standing democracies that transfer power to the opposition in free and fair elections.
Research on Latin America provides not only with an advancement of our knowledge about the region, but also with explanations that can be extrapolated to other political contexts. Currently our research chooses to focus specifically on Mexico as a country.
Southern and Eastern Africa
The political and electoral climate in East and Southern Africa is marked by a delicate balance between democratic progress and authoritarian entrenchment. Our research focuses on this region because it offers a critical lens into the challenges of democratization in post-colonial states. Understanding the interplay between electoral manipulation, international pressures, grassroots movements, and regional diplomacy is essential to analyzing broader trends in the impact of technology on electoral processes, governance, and political legitimacy in these regions.
Research in these regions helps in understanding how technology is reshaping political landscapes, which is crucial for developing policies that protect democratic freedoms while ensuring transparency and fairness in electoral processes. This research is essential for navigating the benefits and risks of digital engagement in politics, promoting digital literacy, and safeguarding against the erosion of democratic rights in the digital age.
Research in these regions helps in understanding how technology is reshaping political landscapes, which is crucial for developing policies that protect democratic freedoms while ensuring transparency and fairness in electoral processes. This research is essential for navigating the benefits and risks of digital engagement in politics, promoting digital literacy, and safeguarding against the erosion of democratic rights in the digital age.
Europe
In Western Europe, the project studies the challenges posed by rising populism, misinformation, and political polarization. Through case studies in the UK and France, the research examines the role of digital technologies in shaping political discourse and influencing electoral outcomes across stable democracies.
Eastern Europe, with its geopolitical challenges and democratic vulnerabilities, is a key focus for the Path to Power Project. The research examines how misinformation, authoritarian influence, and online propaganda operations, particularly from Russia, affect democratic processes in countries like Moldova and Ukraine.
Eastern Europe, with its geopolitical challenges and democratic vulnerabilities, is a key focus for the Path to Power Project. The research examines how misinformation, authoritarian influence, and online propaganda operations, particularly from Russia, affect democratic processes in countries like Moldova and Ukraine.
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