Oxford Politics Blog (OxPol)

Claudia Sheinbaum, set to become Mexico's first female president on October 1st, will face the pressing issue of transit migration. Migrants in Mexico encounter high levels of violence from both authorities and criminal organisations. In 2023, the International Organization for Migration identified the US-Mexico border as the world’s deadliest migration land route. Given the unprecedented levels of violence, how will Sheinbaum address transit migration? DPhil candidate Guadalupe Chavez argues in her recent OxPol piece that Sheinbaum is expected to continue her predecessor's militarised approach to migration, despite earlier promises of focusing on human rights. She is likely to continue seeking US financial assistance to address the root causes of migration and stem flows to the US, aiming to further Mexico's domestic interests and strengthen its relationship with the US. Significant policy changes are unlikely. https://lnkd.in/eHSgGPYH

In our latest post, Yu Furukawa analyses the information campaign behind the 2015 EU "Refugee Crisis", using Senegal as a case study. Ultimately, Furukawa argues, the EU’s post-crisis migration policy has been characterised by the securitisation and externalisation of borders, reinforcing a pre-existing development agenda that primarily serves the political interests of EU states. https://lnkd.in/eMRPbSNQ

Publishing is increasingly important in academia, but navigating the process can be daunting for early career researchers.  In their latest OxPol post, Matthew Hepplewhite and Dr Stephanie Luke share insights from a PSA's Early Career Network roundtable discussion with prominent figures in academic publishing, ranging from how to identify the right journal to navigating the peer review process and the importance of reaching audiences beyond academia. https://lnkd.in/dNxyYgmX

In our latest piece, Muhammad Siddique Ali Pirzada argues that the Labour Party's proposition to reduce the voting age to 16 has many advantages. In particular, lowering the voting age would encourage political participation among a critical group of citizens who will play a significant role in determining the country's political future. https://lnkd.in/e6Qr6Crs

As academia and policymaking become increasingly intertwined, and political representatives seek evidence-based solutions to complex problems, it is crucial for early-career academics to engage effectively with legislators. In the latest OxPol article, PhD candidates Danny Bowman BA MA FRSA (University of Liverpool) and Matthew Hepplewhite (University of Oxford) outline how early-career academics can bridge this gap and find opportunities to influence political standards and outcomes. Drawing on insights from a panel event at the British Parliament, the authors demystify the policymaking process and provide academics with the tools needed to make a meaningful impact. https://lnkd.in/eniZNrrd

In our latest piece, Sophie Vériter, a PhD candidate at Leiden University and former Oxford graduate, outlines Latvia's pivotal role over the past decade in countering pro-Kremlin propaganda in the aftermath of Ukraine's Euromaidan revolution, highlighting how this small but influential nation rallied the entire EU to formulate a common counter-disinformation policy. https://lnkd.in/evX3X64w

Can Mexicans predict June's presidential election? Ahead of the presidential election on 2 June, Andreas E. Murr and Michael S. Lewis-Beck examine the effectiveness of citizen forecasting as a predictor of election outcomes and the ability of citizens to develop this skill over time as democracies mature. https://lnkd.in/evnT-BGu

In our latest article, Jeffrey Love, MPhil Candidate in International Relations, explains why Japan has joined the West in sanctioning Hamas, despite there being little tangible effects. https://lnkd.in/e6u85Rhq

Despite leaving, the EU remains the UK’s significant, constitutive 'Other'. Even post-Brexit, the British sense of self is being claimed by defining itself in opposition to the EU, with significant consequences for bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Dr Monika Brusenbauch Meislová, Associate Professor at Masaryk University Brno, examines how UK-EU relationship has undergone a transformation of redefineach each/the other since 2016. https://lnkd.in/e9fda2qe

Against the backdrop of this month's direct military strikes between Israel and Iran, and the growing risk of a wider regional war, Dr. Nick Westcott, Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy at SOAS University of London and Visiting Fellow at the Oxford Martin School, argues that resolving the Israel-Palestine question is all the more urgent. Far from diverting attention from Gaza, it has underlined the risks of not resolving this conflict. https://lnkd.in/eq4jtf-b