This article critically examines the scholarship on democratic decline and citizens’ dissatisfaction as well as it explores the key drivers, manifestations, and consequences of democratic backsliding worldwide. The study highlights how declining trust in democratic institutions, economic inequalities, and the rise of populism have intensified public discontent, leading to increased polarization and support for alternative governance models. By analyzing global trends, including democratic erosion in South Asia, Latin America, and Europe, the article underscores the complex relationship between institutional inefficiency, neoliberal policies, and democratic dissatisfaction. The analysis extends to the role of direct democracy, populist movements, and the strategic voting behaviors of emerging powers in shaping governance responses. Through a synthesis of recent theoretical and empirical contributions, this review offers an understanding of how dissatisfaction interacts with political agency and institutional trust, emphasizing the need for more inclusive and responsive democratic structures to mitigate democratic malaise.

Citizenship plays a crucial role in shaping migrants' travel freedom. Although those from the Global North typically enjoy easier travel experiences, individuals from the Global South often encounter significant barriers. These include long waits at consulates for visas and potentially stressful interrogations at borders or airports. This article explores how the power of a passport varies based on the issuing country and its impact on both the geographic and professional mobility of passport holders. It also examines the reasons behind visa restrictions in some countries and visa‐free travel allowances in others. Through interviews with 45 frequent travelers—both for professional purposes and tourism—the study highlights how visa regulations can redirect travelers to alternative destinations even when policies remain unchanged. The findings have important policy implications for both source and host countries.

The Corpus of Brunei English (CoBE) is a large-scale collection of English spoken and written by Bruneians obtained from both formal and informal domains. This article presents the ongoing process of building the first corpus for Brunei English with a two-fold goal in mind: to provide a readily available resource centre for researchers who wish to study Brunei English; and to contribute to the existing corpus on World Englishes, thereby placing Brunei English on the corpus map. To date, we have amassed more than 4 million words, and this article describes the process of collecting data and designing a corpus for both spoken and written components. The article also discusses current and future research that will utilise the CoBE database, and the challenges involved in compiling the corpora. Although still at an early stage, it is anticipated that researchers and learners will utilise CoBE to monitor linguistic changes, influence policy, and promote the recognition of Brunei English.

This article examines the transformation of migration from a domestic policy matter to a transnational concern with far-reaching global implications. Drawing on theoretical perspectives, such as realism, liberal institutionalism, constructivism and critical theories, the article explores how migration reshapes power dynamics, challenges traditional notions of sovereignty and influences international cooperation. The analysis highlights key debates in migration–international relations (IR) scholarship, focusing on the securitization of migration, the role of diasporas in diplomacy and the interplay between migration and global governance frameworks, such as the 1951 Refugee Convention and the Global Compact forMigration. By situating migration within historical and contemporary contexts, the article underscores its centrality to evolving international norms and state behaviour. This argues that migration is not merely a movement of people but a politically charged process integral to shaping global political order, requiring interdisciplinary approaches to address its complexities effectively.

This paper explores the paradoxical nature of foreign aid as both a catalyst for global development and a mechanism of dependency. The article offers critical insights by integrating and interrogating competing perspectives on aid effectiveness, sovereignty, and global power dynamics through carefully selected case studies. Drawing on development theories and case studies from Rwanda, Bangladesh, and Vietnam, it demonstrates how aid can empower states when aligned with national priorities, institutional capacity, and local ownership. Conversely, the paper also illustrates how aid is often entangled with geopolitical agendas, conditionalities, and authoritarian consolidation. This study, as such, highlights emerging alternatives such as unconditional cash transfers, participatory financing, and reparative justice as potential reforms. It calls for a reimagining of aid as a vehicle of equitable global partnerships rather than a tool of donor dominance.