World
A House on Fire: Russia’s Oligarchy Today
As Russian forces poured into Ukraine in March 2022, Italian authorities seized the world’s second-largest superyacht in the port of Trieste––a $578 million vessel owned by Russian oligarch Andrey Melnichenko, who built his fortune through ownership of Russia’s largest coal…
A Six-Hour Coup: How Polarization Plunged South Korea into Martial Law
Kyeonghee Eo, an assistant professor of East Asian Languages and Literatures at Yale University, checked X on the morning of December 3rd, 2024. It was a week before her long-awaited trip to visit family in South Korea. What she saw…
The “Green” Mines: Lithium Mining and Destruction in Brazil’s Jequitinhonha Valley
“We cannot talk about development without talking about conflict and violence,” Brazilian environmental activist and Decolonial Centre coordinator Gabriela Sarmet told The Politic. “Behind every development comes a trail of destruction.” Over the last five centuries, mining has left environmental…
Between Hope and Authoritarianism: Venezuela’s Perilous Position
“A lot of time has to pass before things change. We’ve grown up with the corrupt government that we have, so we can’t take promises of change too seriously,” said Nicole Viloria ’26, the president of the Yale Venezuelan Club…
OPINION: Democracy in Distress: How Mexico’s Judiciary Lost Its Independence
Mexico’s democracy, after years of resilience and progress, is tumbling toward an authoritarian abyss. As of September 15th, 2024, the judicial branch—formerly made up of judges appointed by the government—will now be elected by the populace. The public, however, will…
Hells on Earth: An Interview with Roba El Husseini on Conflict Journalism in the Middle East
Roba El Husseini has spent the past decade with Agence France Presse (AFP) reporting from some of the world’s most challenging conflict zones, covering crises in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and beyond. Her reporting relays powerful stories of military operations, human…
The Silent Backslide — Independent Media’s Fight for Survival in Orbán’s Hungary
“I used to believe the media is above power, but it has become clear to me that this is not the case,” said Dominik Varga. Varga, whose name was changed to ensure his personal safety, is a veteran radio host…
Politic Podcast: Episode 9 – From Activism to Extremism: Anna Biryukova’s Fight Against Corruption and Authoritarianism
Anna Biryukova is Head of Public Opinion Research at the Anti-Corruption Foundation (ACF), Russia’s most significant opposition organization, founded by Alexey Navalny in 2011. Anna joined the team of the Russian opposition leader in 2013 during Navalny’s election campaign for…