In today’s digital age, mis-and disinformation has become pervasive, fueled by advancements in AI and deep-fake technology, while the centralized nature of social media platforms accelerates its spread, amplifying false narratives to vast audiences with unprecedented speed. NATO recognized this growing threat to democracy during the Washington Summit last summer, emphasizing its critical impact in Read More…
President Donald Trump’s promise to delay imposing tariffs on Canadian goods caused many Canadians to breathe a sigh of relief. With Canada seemingly uniting around the threat that the U.S. poses to our economic well-being, it seems like we are on course to diplomatically deal with this crisis and hopefully resume normal relations. Yet, with Read More…
This article was originally published as an intern contribution at the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies. Fear of war has long shaped Georgian domestic politics. Conflict between Tbilisi and Russian-backed separatists in the regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) left the country fragmented following the collapse of the Soviet Union. 2008 saw Read More…
Senegal has long been a rare positive exception to other trends in governance when analyzing democratic successes in Africa. In spite of former President Macky Sall’s authoritarian slide during his terms from 2012 to 2024, the opposition victory this past April, followed by a peaceful transfer of power are confirmations of Senegal’s democratic trajectory. This Read More…
Despite the world being interconnected in a way it has never been, civilization finds itself torn apart by civil strife and disagreement. “Polarization” is the word of the day, and it has hit Canada hard. Recent years have seen the issue reflected in the rise of hate crimes, distrust of the government, and general violence. Read More…
It’s been over two months since Alexei Navalny died in prison. Internationally recognized as Vladimir Putin’s leading critic, Navalny led a bold and courageous journey of challenging the corruption of the Kremlin. In 2011, he founded the Anti-Corruption Foundation to expose the government’s deceitful activities and actively led protests rallying against Putin’s regime. Navalny believed Read More…
VUCA. An acronym commonly used by organizational leaders within the business environment has now become all too relevant in the context of international affairs. V. Volatile. U. Uncertain. C. Complex. A. Ambiguous. This is the state that humanity currently finds itself in. Ranging from realities such as increasing levels of political polarization to the rise Read More…
A fifth term secured in power. Another six years claimed as the country’s head of state. On track to becoming the Kremlin’s longest serving leader since Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. Welcome to the world of Mr. Vladimir Putin. Last month, Russia held its eighth presidential election, although it was predetermined who would emerge victorious. Yet, Read More…
The Geopolitics of the Internet Threats to an open internet have been increasing over the past decade. China, Russia, and other authoritarian states have stepped up attempts to exert greater global top-down control over the network architecture that enables the data flows internet operations rely on. If authoritarian states shape the future of the internet in Read More…
In this article, Arash Toupchinejad interviews Professor Marta Dyczok from Western University about the socio-cultural and economic implications of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the heightened tensions to better assess the status of the situation in Eastern Europe.