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Spotlight
The Future of Democracy

Political observers have noted an ongoing global decline in democracy over the past two decades. And now, the world’s most powerful nation is led by a president who is openly challenging the democratic ideals on which it was built. What are the roots of this backsliding, and how can democracy be strengthened for the 21st century?

Photo of people protesting and holding up signs. One sign says: "Accountability."
Democracy: Down, but not out

Despite the backsliding, public support for democracy remains strong.

Spotlight Archive
Arts
Close-up of "Canadian" entry in dictionary, with red overlay
137 more reasons to love Canadian English
With 137 new entries and a fresh design, UBC’s Dictionary of Canadianisms is better than ever.
Athletics
Man holds hands up to "Nestor's Gym" sign
New UBC Recreation Centre honours intramural visionary’s legacy
Nestor's Gym is named after the founder of UBC recreation.
Business
Man holds credit card while typing on laptop
What credit card habits reveal about Canadian households
Age, education, and regional differences influence how people handle their credit.
Campus
Polaroids of various UBC shows and concerts with cut-outs of students in the top half of image
Tell us about a show you saw at UBC and never forgot
Submit your story by August 18, 2025, and it could be published in UBC Magazine!
Careers
Headshots of Kieran Davey and Savanah Knockwood
Navigating life after graduation successfully
Wondering about life after graduation? Start here.
Community
Hero Image
Carol Eugene Park and Jeevan Sangha
Would you recycle for a chance at $1,000?
UBC researchers test a recycling lottery system to incentivize climate action.
Environment
Boulevard with plants and tall grasses
UBC green spaces embrace biodiversity, culture, and climate resiliency
Manicured lawns are being reimagined as thriving ecosystems.
Give UBC
Hugo Mota Santos seated on a deck with water and trees in the background
In his 30s with a baby on the way, Hugo found his calling
“Even 30...40 years from now, I will remember this award and the importance it had in my life.”
Health
Healthcare worker holding elderly person's hands
The leading risk factor for cancer isn’t what you think
The factor most associated with cancer is unavoidable—it's one we will all experience.
Humanities
Canadian maple leaf being painted on boy's cheek
How Canadian nationalism is evolving with the times—and will continue to do so
US tariffs have sparked a surge in nationalist sentiment in Canada.
Life
Two cheerful men in exercise gear holding yellow cards
Allard Law alum Jonathon Braun joins The Amazing Race Canada
This UBC grad wants to be a positive role model for the next generation of queer youth.
Science
Forested mountainside divided in half by clear-cut swath
Clear-cutting linked to 18-fold rise in extreme floods, UBC study finds
Clear-cutting can have impacts that last more than 40 years.
Technology
Smiling woman standing against a garden backdrop
UBC alum named to BC Business 30 Under 30 for healthcare innovation
What began as a passion for helping others turned into province-wide recognition.
afterwords

alumni UBC’s afterwords is a digital conversation series that shares the stories of some of UBC Okanagan’s extraordinary alumni.

Upper-body shot of Allisha Heidt standing by the front counter in her store
Allisha Heidt
Meet a UBCO alum and entrepreneur whose business is helping to save the planet.
Changemakers

UBC grads defining the future

An image of Sophia Yang standing in front of a crowd with her arms up, wearing a lanyard, black top, and quilted red, green, and white top.
Threading change

The future of fashion is youth-led.

Class Acts

News from your old classmates

Collective Wisdom

One pressing question. Multiple expert perspectives.

Headshots of the six experts, with a white capital letter Q juxtaposed on top
How should democracies adapt for the 21st century?

One pressing question, multiple expert perspectives.

In Memoriam

Lives and legacies

My Town

Insider travel tips from alumni around the world

Dr. Amy Dawson on Signal Hill with her dog Watson
St. John’s, Canada
Explore the capital of Canada’s easternmost province with a UBC Medicine alum and resident.
Opinion
Supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris during her concession speech for the 2024 presidential election, with American flags in the background
Hope in precarious times
As democracy in America faces its greatest test, this is the hope that I’m holding on to.
President’s Highlight

Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon reflects on the people and places shaping UBC

The Gordon B. Shrum Building on University Boulevard
From stem cells to robots
A look inside the new home of UBC’s School of Biomedical Engineering.
Readers Write

Stories, advice, and snapshots of life from UBC Magazine readers.

Mixed-media image collage showing black and white photos of young people in career-related settings with colourful graphic elements
What these UBC grads wish they’d known when they started their first jobs
If you’re a new graduate, this could be just what you need to hear today.
Rewind

A glance into UBC’s past

A black and white photo of three people working on the Wally Wagon
The Wally Wagon

A sustainable car designed by UBC engineers in 1972 was years ahead of its time.

Short Fiction

Winning entries from our annual writing contest for UBC alumni 

An illustration of students in a classroom practicing calligraphy, while outside the window other people march beside red flags
2025 Winner: Magnificence
Winner of the 2025 alumni UBC Short Fiction Contest.
The Big Picture

More show, less tell

Photo of Robby the robot.
Robby the robot
The newest member of UBC’s Athletics & Recreation team is a line-painting robot.
The Last Word

Q&As featuring well-known individuals with a UBC connection

A photo of Susan Musgrave clutching a cat to her chest
Susan Musgrave

Wild heart, kind spirit.

Jessie Anderson (lower row, center) was UBC's first graduate.

A Hundred Years Ago

The origins of alumni UBC

By Rewild Films | November 22, 2017

Selected Stories

Photo of people protesting and holding up signs. One sign says: "Accountability."
Democracy: Down, but not out
Richard Littlemore
11 Min
An illustration of a person standing gated in by screens and abstract patterns and colourful barcodes.
How to fight disinformation
Madeleine de Trenqualye, BA’07
9 Min
Two luxury yachts next to each other
Why the rich are getting richer
Chris Cannon
9 Min
An illustration of a fist shattering the USA Supreme Court Building.
The “strongmen” who are breaking democracies
Jared Downing
7 Min
Headshots of the six experts, with a white capital letter Q juxtaposed on top
How should democracies adapt for the 21st century?
6 Min
An illustration of two people standing on opposite sides of a rectangular infinity loop
How polarized are we really?
Bruce Grierson
9 Min
See All

Podcasts

Carol Eugene Park and Jeevan Sangha
Would you recycle for a chance at $1,000?
25 Min
Carol Eugene Park and Jeevan Sangha
Here’s a stirring solution to drink spiking
25 Min
Carol Eugene Park and Jeevan Sangha
The invisible force behind your favourite movies and shows
29 Min
Carol Eugene Park and Jeevan Sangha
How concerned should we be about falling space junk?
38 Min
Carol Eugene Park and Jeevan Sangha
The truth about DEI and what backlash against it really reveals
23 Min

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