Skip to main content
A Publication of UBC
  •  
  •  

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Videos
  • Webcasts

Sections

Arts
Athletics
Business
Campus
Careers
Community
Environment
Give UBC
Health
Humanities
Life
Science
Technology

Departments

afterwords
Changemakers
Class Acts
Collective Wisdom
In Memoriam
My Town
Opinion
President’s Highlight
Readers Write
Rewind
Short Fiction
The Big Picture
The Last Word
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
Five people in Indigenous outfits in front of wall with Indigenous artwork
How language revitalization boosts Indigenous health
Reviving Indigenous languages may do more than preserve culture.
Athletics
Men doing stretches lying on floor of a changeroom
Lifestyle program geared at hockey fans helps improve men’s health
Obesity disproportionately impacts men’s health, yet few men take preventive action.
Business
Freighter on water in front of mountains
What’s next for Canada in the tariff landscape?
A UBC lecturer explains how shifting dynamics could affect Canadian businesses.
Campus
Tristan Lai, Alex Tang, and Lillian Chen chat in front of a slideshow at a PRIDE-RX presentation
Prescription for inclusive healthcare
Two UBC pharmacy lecturers have developed a queer and trans-inclusive pharmacy curriculum.
Careers
Headshot of Charina Cruz
Build your personal brand and elevate your presence
How can you build your own professional brand in an authentic way?
Community
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.
Environment
Three firefighters in front of a wildfire
This wildfire season is going to be intense. Here’s what to expect
Wildfire smoke is already crossing borders, affecting millions.
Give UBC
Portrait of Mohammed Al-Seragi
From East Vancouver to biochemistry breakthroughs
“It was life-changing — not just for me but for my family.”
Health
Man holds hand to forehead in front of windows
Addressing five health issues in men could save lives and billions of dollars
A report on Canadian men’s health highlights the gaps in our healthcare system.
Humanities
Alberta and Canadian flags in front of mountains
What if Alberta really did vote to separate?
Alberta would get exactly — and only — what it can bargain for.
Life
An illustration of a person standing gated in by screens and abstract patterns and colourful barcodes.
How to fight disinformation

It’s nothing new, says historian of media, and we can learn from the past.

Science
Researcher holding stir stick submerged in some liquid in a beaker
New stir stick detects drink spiking in seconds
Thanks to this UBC invention, common drink-spiking drugs can be quickly detected.
Technology
Group of people wearing hardhats in front of scaffolding structure
Next-gen technology helps high-rises ride out earthquakes
A new UBC system enables buildings to absorb earthquake energy, instead of resisting it.
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

Rohma Khurram Nawaz with her dog Saiya on a snowy day
Fort Smith, Canada
UBCO alum Rohma Khurram Nawaz shares the beauty of northern living in this My Town feature.
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.

Gif of prof headshots — with 3 to 4 headshots per slide
The profs who changed us

Here’s to the UBC mentors we’ll never forget.

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.

Ask Santa - May 2019

What makes Professor Ono proud of UBC? What challenges is UBC facing? How can alumni be involved?

1 MIN | May 15, 2019

 

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
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
Scanning from afar: How a UBC innovation is improving ultrasound access
Scanning from afar: How a UBC innovation is improving ultrasound access
23 Min
Carol Eugene Park and Jeevan Sangha
Beyond “happy ever after”: The truth about love
29 Min

Site Map

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Past Print Issues
  • SPOTLIGHT Archive
  • Submissions

Follow Us

  •  
  •  

© 2022

Footer bottom

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
A Publication of UBC University of British Colombia