For these students, democracy is not a given
Over the coming weeks, Folia will be dedicating a special print magazine to the theme of ‘democracy’. Elections and freedom of expression may seem like a given in the Netherlands, but that is not the case everywhere. We spoke to three international UvA students about the fragile state of democracy in their home countries.
Christine Luong, Vietnam
Business Administration
“In Vietnam, people rarely speak openly about political issues in daily life, at work, or in public spaces. The country is a one-party state in which the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) controls political decision-making. Voters can only choose from candidates who have been approved by the party. When you disagree with something or want to raise a concern, it is usually done through official channels, such as sending a message to a ministry. But people are generally cautious and reserved, because expressing your opinion openly can involve risks.”
“When I first arrived here and saw large-scale Palestinian protests, it immediately stood out to me. Such public political expressions are hardly seen in Vietnam. I do not necessarily see this as negative; the government emphasizes stability and administrative control. Who am I to judge, when they have the expertise to determine what is right for this country?”
Ahmad Marfani, Pakistan
Business Administration
“In Pakistan, politics felt distant; adults talked about it, but young people were not encouraged to ask questions. As I got older, I began to understand how complex the political climate is. In Pakistan, democracy exists formally, but during my youth I often felt that many decisions were influenced by institutions outside the elected representatives.”
“When I moved to the Netherlands, I was immediately struck by how openly people criticize political leaders and institutions. In Pakistan, political expression can involve social or legal risks, especially when it concerns powerful institutions. As a result, there is often an underlying sense of caution, particularly online.”
“Living here has made me more aware of the self-censorship that was normalized in my own environment. Many people in the Netherlands assume that elections reflect the will of the people without interference. From my background I understand how fragile that balance can be.”
Jakša Mihaljević, Croatia
Business Analytics
“Croatia has been strongly right oriented for many years. Recently there has been a lot of discussion about the nationalistic character of politics and how it is handled. This has mainly been triggered by several controversial concerts by singer Marko Perković (Thompson), where nationalist symbolism once again received attention. In the 1990s, during the Croatian War of Independence, nationalism was important. Today, that sense of national identity is still used as a basis for the country’s development, but in my opinion, it is sometimes emphasized too strongly. Partly because of the political dominance of HDZ, a party that strongly influences the nationalistic discourse.”
“Compared to the Netherlands, Croatia is less liberal and less multicultural. Most of the population consists of Croats, which means many people live in a relatively like-minded environment. As a result, people tend to speak out more easily, because certain positions are seen as normal. Conservative ideas are not particularly controversial for most people.”
“In the Netherlands, I feel that people must be more careful about what they say. You can get into trouble more quickly for certain statements online. Topics such as culture and race are more sensitive and are sometimes avoided, which at times conflicts with the idea of full freedom of expression for me.”
As of April 28 the Folia magazines are distributed on the UvA campuses.
