Dr. Ronald Pernia and Assoc. Prof. Rogelio Alicor Panao recently published an article entitled “Electing the dictator’s son: the 2022 Philippine election in an era of authoritarian nostalgia and democratic decline” in Asian Affairs: An American Review.
The abstract reads:
The electoral victory of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., son and namesake of the ousted Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., has sparked significant debate among academics and commentators. This outcome underscores the need to refine prevailing analytical frameworks, particularly within the broader context of authoritarian resurgence in fragile democracies. This paper critically evaluates existing perspectives on Marcos Jr.’s victory, including arguments centered on historical revisionism, social media disinformation, and the “Duterte effect,” and advances supplemental theoretical approaches. We argue that the Marcos family’s political comeback illustrates the persistent influence of latent authoritarian values among citizens in post-authoritarian democracies. In addition, we identify three key potential determinants of authoritarian resurgence: (1) pro-dictator bias, (2) risk-aversion and preference for continuity, and (3) the role of multiple memory systems in shaping electoral behavior. By proposing these analytical perspectives and key areas of focus, this study aims to offer a more nuanced understanding of the dynamics of Philippine politics and democratization, while contributing to the broader discourse on contemporary challenges facing post-authoritarian democracies worldwide, marked by authoritarian nostalgia and democratic decline.
Access it here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00927678.2025.2461822