Karel J. Leyva

Excited to share a piece in Politics and Rights Review based on my book -Fetal Positions. This article looks at how democracy, gender equality, and media freedom shape global abortion attitudes.

I’ll be discussing the findings tomorrow (Friday) at 9 AM EST: www.worldvaluessurvey.org/WVSNewsShow....

How Democracy, Media and Gender Equality Shape Abortion Views Explores how democracy, media freedom, and gender equality shape abortion attitudes across countries through cultural, political, and social lenses.

Prof. Amy Adamczyk (CUNY) explores why abortion views differ across countries. Using global data, she shows how democracy, media freedom, and gender equality shape public opinion. A sharp, timely study. @amyadamczyk.bsky.social politicsrights.com/how-democrac... #reproductiverights

Black Women and the Making of Human Rights Explore the role of Black women in shaping human rights, turning a distant ideal into a global practice rooted in resistance, solidarity, and justice.

Prof. Keisha N. Blain presents her book Without Fear, showing how Black women in the U.S. redefined human rights as a lived practice of resistance and solidarity. Available in open access in English, French, and Spanish. politicsrights.com/black-women-... #BlackFeminism #SocialJustice #Race

Understanding the Anti-Deportation Protests in Los Angeles Analysis of anti-deportation protests in Los Angeles, focusing on immigrant rights, public resistance, and threats to democratic values.

Prof. Ernesto Castañeda analyzes the mass anti-deportation protests in L.A. sparked by ICE raids. His article shows how citizens and immigrants united in defense of democracy and human rights. @drernestocast.bsky.social @theimmigrationlab.bsky.social

Project 2025: Authoritarian Agenda Disguised as Reform Project 2025 seeks to remake the U.S. state by centralizing executive power, purging civil institutions, and enforcing a singular ideological order.

Project 2025 is not about governance, but about redesigning the U.S. state through authoritarian logic. This briefing shows how civil rights and institutional neutrality are reframed as obstacles to be removed in favor of centralized, ideologically driven control.

Human Rights Discourse: Language, Translation and Genre Human rights discourse in supranational courts: how language, translation, and genre shape justice across ECtHR, IACtHR, and ACtHPR decisions.

Prof. Jekaterina Nikitina shows how human rights are not only protected by law, but also shaped by the language, translation, and genres that make law possible. politicsrights.com/human-rights...
#humanrights #ECtHR #politicsandrightsreview

Why Illiberalism Explains Changes in Today’s Social Order Scholarship on populism has dominated the last two decades but is now retreating in the face of a new concept : that of illiberalism.

Prof. Marlene Laruelle argues that illiberalism—not populism—offers a sharper lens to grasp the reordering of today’s political imaginaries. #illiberalism #democracy #politicaltheory #politicsandrightsreview

Making Americans Bankrupt Again? How U.S. bankruptcy law deepens inequality—Melissa Jacoby’s Unjust Debts exposes a system that punishes the vulnerable and protects the powerful.

Prof. Melissa B. Jacoby argues that the U.S. bankruptcy system doesn’t just reflect inequality—it reinforces it. In Unjust Debts, she shows how bankruptcy law privileges corporations over people. politicsrights.com/making-ameri...
#bankruptcy @mbjacoby.bsky.social‬ #politicsandrightsreview

Is Violence Shaped More by Place—or by Perception? What shapes violence more—place or perception? This essay explores how power, media, and narrative influence what we ignore as violence.

Is violence shaped more by place—or by perception? Prof. Çaylı Messina explores how geography sets the stage, but perception directs the scene—deciding whose pain counts, and whose doesn’t. An essential reading on the politics of violence. @bariscaylimessina.com

Truth and Authoritarianism in America An analysis of how attacks on truth and evidence-based institutions threaten democratic life amid rising authoritarianism in the United States.

In this article, based on his recent book, Prof. Michael Lynch explores how the distortion of truth fuels authoritarian tendencies in the U.S. A key contribution to understanding the link between democracy and knowledge. @michael-p-lynch.bsky.social

politicsrights.com/truth-and-au...

Who Are the War Criminals, Genocidaires, and Terrorists? Discover how ordinary people become war criminals. Alette Smeulers reveals 14 perpetrator types and the psychology behind mass atrocities.

In her latest article, Prof. Alette Smeulers draws on her book Perpetrators of Mass Atrocities to explore who commits mass violence—and why. A sharp analysis of how ordinary people become involved in extraordinary crimes. politicsrights.com/who-are-war-... #PoliticsAndRightsReview #CriminalLaw

How State Sovereignty Fuels Language Loss: Lessons from Tibet State sovereignty drives global language loss and fuels attacks on diversity, as shown through fieldwork in Tibet.

Prof.Gerald Roche ( @geraldroche.bsky.social ) shows that language loss in Tibet is not accidental but a result of state policy rooted in sovereignty. His research reveals how state power dismantles cultural and linguistic diversity in the name of national unity.

Why Are Governments Short-Sighted? Modern leaders face crises and distractions that undermine long-term thinking, creating a short-termism trap that weakens democratic governance.

Why do governments struggle with long-term thinking? Behavioural economist Nicholas Chesterley examines how media pressure and cognitive overload drive short-termism in politics. A sharp analysis of policy, psychology, and leadership. politicsrights.com/why-are-gove... #PoliticsAndRightsReview

Voice and Protest in Times of Democratic Decline Protest, political voice, and marginalized groups are key to resisting democratic erosion amid rising authoritarianism and a crisis of representation.

Prof. Aidan McGarry argues that true democracy requires more than voting. His work highlights how marginalized groups use protest to reclaim their voice and challenge exclusion. politicsrights.com/voice-protes... #democracy #protest #socialmovements #PoliticsAndRightsReview

How Neoliberalism Reshaped Democracy After 1989 How neoliberalism redefined democracy in Europe after 1989, weakening representation and fueling technocracy, populism, and citizen discontent.

Prof. Emilija Tudzarovska ( @tudzarovska.bsky.social ) examines how neoliberalism reshaped European democracy after 1989, transforming institutions and political power. A must-read for understanding democracy today. Available in English, French, and Spanish.

Cuba’s Kleptocracy: How It Operates and Why It Matters Explore how Cuba's kleptocracy operates, its impact, and why it matters for global corruption and regional stability.

John Suarez ( @johnjsuarez.bsky.social ) examines how Cuba’s kleptocracy funnels power to a ruling elite, controlling the economy without oversight. This system relies on crime, fraud, and money laundering, while ordinary Cubans face deepening poverty. An eye-opening piece.

The Multiple Political Orders in New York City New York’s political order has long combined neoliberal, conservative, and egalitarian forces, defying the idea that it is simply a liberal stronghold.

Prof. Timothy Weaver ( @timweaver.bsky.social )‬ analyzes NYC’s political evolution, showing it’s shaped by the interplay of Neoliberalism, Conservatism & Egalitarianism—not a single liberal tradition. Essential reading on inequality, resistance & urban power.

Land Remains the World’s Engine of Social Change Land power shapes societal fate. Albertus shows how who owns land still drives inequality, politics, and global change in the 21st century.

Prof. Michael Albertus shows how land access continues to shape power, inequality, and political paths. His book Land Power is a must-read on today’s struggles over land, housing, and rights. The article is available in EN, FR & ES politicsrights.com/land-remains...
@mikealbertus.bsky.social‬

Suicide by False Belief - Politics and Rights Review As a psychiatrist, I’ve spent my career working with patients who have delusions—that is, false beliefs held with unassailable conviction like believing that one is the Second Coming of Christ or…

Why do people cling to false beliefs despite evidence? Prof. Joe Pierre explores how mistrust, bias, and political narratives distort reality—and threaten democracy. A sharp analysis of belief, psychiatry, and public discourse. @psychunseen.bsky.social

We Were Never Meant to Obey: Weaving Abolitionist Constellations Abolition is not obedience undone, but freedom reclaimed. This essay weaves abolitionist constellations as maps toward justice and inner truth.

Prof. Brittany Friedman argues that carceral obedience is not natural but imposed. Her work traces how state violence shapes identity and suppresses authenticity. Abolition begins by rejecting obedience and reclaiming collective freedom. @curlyprofessor.bsky.social

Politics of Love - Politics and Rights Review Explores how love (ai) became a political discourse in modern China—bridging religion, nationalism, socialism, and affective governance.

Prof. Ting Guo traces how “love” became a political tool in China—from Christian missions to Maoist salvation to Xi’s family-state rhetoric. A must-read for anyone interested in how religion, affect, and nationalism shape power. @tingguowrites.bsky.social politicsrights.com/politics-of-...

When Too Much Freedom Leads to Tyranny Explores how freedom without responsibility can lead to chaos, hypocrisy, and tyranny. From pandemics to politics, liberty is under siege.

Prof. David Kinley discusses the risks of detaching freedom from responsibility. A powerful reflection on liberty, democracy, and societal trust. Available in open access in English, French, and Spanish. politicsrights.com/when-too-muc... #PoliticsAndRightsReview

A timely and rigorous reflection on the political consequences of truth decay in contemporary U.S. politics. Lynch’s analysis offers valuable insight into how authoritarianism takes root through epistemic erosion. @michael-p-lynch.bsky.social
#PoliticsAndRightsReview

Since the return of Trump to the Oval Office, many in the U.S. are living in fear—workers losing jobs, immigrants hiding to avoid deportation, and scientists uncertain about the future of their research. Reading this article made me wonder: Can liberal institutions still stand against fear?

How China’s E-Commerce Boom Charts a Digital Path to Growth - Politics and Rights Review In merely 20 years, China leapfrogged developed economies to build an e-commerce market with 800 million users, capturing nearly 50% of global online retail sales.

Professor Lizhi Liu ( @lizhiliu.bsky.social ) examines how China’s e-commerce grew despite weak legal frameworks. Digital platforms built private institutions, shaping governance and consumer trust. Available in open access in English, French, and Spanish. #PoliticsAndRightsReview

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Denbow challenges the idea that all innovation is necessarily progress. Her work pushes us to rethink who benefits from technological advancements—and who gets left behind. A crucial read for those interested in the intersection of gender, labor, and economic justice. #FeministEconomics #TechJustice

Many thanks to @polrightsrev.bsky.social & @kareljleyva.bsky.social for publishing this!

Essential reading for anyone trying to make sense of the changes in European asylum policy. Dr. Bernd Parusel (@bernd-parusel.bsky.social) breaks down the key reforms and their impact. Highly recommended! #PoliticsAndRightsReview #MigrationPolicy #AsylumLaw #EUPolitics #HumanRights

Populism weakens democracy and erodes the rule of law by bypassing institutions and favoring quick fixes over long-term governance. The challenge is clear: how do we safeguard democratic stability against the seductive pull of easy answers? #Populism #PoliticsAndRightsReview