Contemporary Political Development in Responding Demands in Post-Pandemic World
Post-pandemic world in Latin America and Southeast Asia looks devastatingly similar. On one hand, the pandemic has provided grounds for autocrats to justify tightening their power grip, further cementing existing regional trends in autocratization and shrinking safe civic space. On the other, civil society organizations (CSOs) and grassroots movements have emerged to focus on economic and social welfare needs, and their activism may challenge autocrats in the long run. The rise and fall of civic institutions in both regions will serve as lessons to be learned in mapping the political development agenda for years to come. This theme seeks a fruitful discussion on how the regions will leverage the pitfalls of autocratic governance that the pandemic has revealed by creating meaningful alliances and people-to-people initiatives, challenging the ever-growing autocratic narratives, and proposing a well-rounded visions for political development agenda in post-pandemic societies.