Extending human and civic rights
The right to protest is under threat from several different directions
Recent heavy handedness from police and the authorities more generally has seen protest gradually edge onto the wrong side of the law, specifically when it comes to environmental protests, the occupy movement, and recent university campus protests. Lucy Finchett-Maddock attempts to locate a right to protest in the various human rights cases that have created legal precedent, […]
Individual electoral registration may further marginalise voters from ethnic minorities
The participation of ethnic minority groups in elections is vital, as these groups face multiple disadvantages often as a result of their new arrival status, and may also be victims of racial prejudice and discrimination. In the UK, however, ethnic minorities are significantly under-registered to vote. Dr Maria Sobolewska and Professor Anthony Heath argue that the main reasons […]
The class, race and age of activists in Brazilian social movements is becoming more diverse
Social movements have become increasingly important form of participation in democracy, beyond the traditional means of joining political parties and fighting elections. This is evident in Brazil, where large street protests on a number of issues have featured people from a range of backgrounds. In this audio interview, Cheryl Brumley spoke to Marilia Pontes Esposito and Raquel Sousa […]
The demonisation of immigration and multiculturalism can only limit Britain’s ability to develop as a cohesive and inclusive society
The government’s anti-immigration rhetoric is currently stronger than ever and the value of multiculturalism is increasingly challenged. Eleni Andreouli writes that instead of protecting social cohesion, this stigmatisation of migrants leads to misrecognition and heightened intergroup tensions. Similar PostsMulticulturalism shouldn’t be treated as a dirty wordThe assumption that less immigration equals less inequality is fundamentally flawedThe increasingly […]
For 50 years the UK government has shown little regard for the human rights of the indigenous population of the British Indian Ocean Territory
The British Indian Ocean Territory was established in 1965, when around 1,500 inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago were forcibly removed, and now hosts one of the United States’ most important military bases. In this post Peter Harris discusses the military and environmental interests shaping British policy toward the territory, and argues that the human rights of the indigenous […]
20 things we learned about democracy in March 2014
March 2014 was an eventful month for democracy, with April set to be even more eventful yet. From dancing to election results, to Islamophobia and local government, Democratic Audit brings you the 20 most interesting things that came across our radar this month. Similar PostsThe real reasons referendums have become so common – and so […]
Lack of access to funding is a huge challenge for women seeking to enter political life
Money has a huge influence on politics across the democratic world. Research by International IDEA has shown that campaign financing affects levels of female representation. In this post, the organisation’s Secretary-General Joan Sawe discusses how money creates barriers for women in public life and highlights some measures that could be taken to reduce them. Similar PostsHow […]
Care.data: democracy and health experts respond to concerns over the privacy of NHS patient information
The planned NHS scheme in which patient’s medical records would be compiled into a national database for research purposes has been postponed, amid concerns that the project was communicated poorly to the public. In this post, we ask democracy and health experts to share the views on the value of the care.data scheme and the […]
Gay politicians will only achieve equality when their sexuality is no longer deemed newsworthy
Press coverage of British politicians’ sexuality has been marked by homophobic sentiment. In this post Donna Smith shares findings from her research from over three decades of media coverage, charting the way in which the discussion of sexuality has changed to reflect societal attitudes. But she warns that genuine equality will only be achieved when a […]
The English Defence League’s ‘rational Islamophobia’ is a racist discourse, but it is not confined to the EDL
The emergence of the English Defence League in 2009 led to renewed discussion of the extent and nature of Islamophobia in British society. George Kassimeris and Leonie Jackson have studied the discourse and ideology of the EDL based on the organisation’s public statements. They find that the ‘rational Islamophobia’ espoused by the EDL does constitute racism, but of a […]
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