Mathematics
The Separation of Powers in Hybrid Political Systems
Quick fact
In many hybrid regimes, the formal separation of powers exists on paper, but the executive uses legal and extralegal means to control the other branches, from rewriting court jurisdictions to using anti-terror laws to sideline opposition.
Why this is interesting
You might think a country with a constitution and an independent judiciary is a democracy—but many regimes look democratic from the outside while concentrating power behind the scenes. How do they manage to keep the appearance of separation of powers without living up to it?