Interdisciplinary research on Global Authorianism, organized by regions

article resource:

Anti-Authoritarianism

0 results

Global:

Afary, Frieda. Socialist Feminism: A New Approach. London: Pluto Press, 2022.

AI Summary: Moves from analysis of contradictory developments in gender relations and distinct features of authoritarianism in the 21st century to an evaluation of socialist feminist and humanist alternatives to capitalism and domination. Author is an Iranian American feminist librarian, translator, and philosophy M.A. who has been an international solidarity activist for many years.

Andersen, Robin, Nolan Higdon, and Steve Macek, eds. Censorship, Digital Media, and the Global Crackdown on Freedom of Expression. New York: Peter Lang, 2024.

AI Summary: A comparative volume showing how diverse regimes—from Eastern Europe to East Asia—leverage legal, technical, and discursive censorship in digital environments to suppress critical voices.

Bunce, Valerie J, Thomas B Pepinsky, Rachel Beatty Riedl, Kenneth M Roberts, and Valerie J Bunce. Global Challenges to Democracy: Comparative Perspectives on Backsliding, Autocracy, and Resilience. Cambridge University Press, 2025. doi:10.1017/9781009602570.

AI Summary: Global Challenges to Democracy offers a sweeping comparative analysis of democratic backsliding and authoritarian resurgence across regions including Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the United States. The volume emphasizes how elected leaders within democratic systems increasingly undermine institutional checks and norms, blurring the line between democracy and autocracy. By integrating institutional, civil society, and international perspectives, the book reveals how authoritarian threats evolve and how democratic resilience depends on both structural safeguards and grassroots mobilization.

Can, Aysegul, Alke Jenss, and Hugo Fanton. “State-led Gentrification Against the Backdrop of Urban Practices.” International Journal of Urban and Regional Research 48, no. 4 (2024): 689–96. doi:10.1111/1468-2427.13236.

AI Summary: This collection of interventions unites academics hailing from Latin America, the Middle East, Europe and the United States, reintroducing discussions on authoritarian state tactics and coercion into urban renewal dialogues within urban studies. During our discussions, it became apparent that urban authoritarian tactics are crucial in contemporary state‐led gentrification efforts. In this introduction to the series, we aim to merge research on authoritarian measures within neoliberalism with the literature concerning urban transformation and gentrification. By doing so, we bring urban studies into wider discussions regarding the overarching trend of authoritarianism on a global scale within sociology, political economy and international studies.

Debre, Maria J. How Regional Organizations Sustain Authoritarian Rule: The Dictators’ Club. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2025. doi:10.1093/9780198903635.001.0001.

AI Summary: Maria J. Debre’s How Regional Organizations Sustain Authoritarian Rule reveals how authoritarian regimes strategically join and shape regional organizations—dubbed “dictators’ clubs”—to reinforce their grip on power. These organizations redistribute resources to autocratic elites, legitimize flawed elections, and shield member states from international sanctions and democratic pressure. Through statistical analysis and global case studies, Debre demonstrates that such regional cooperation is a deliberate mechanism of authoritarian survival, enabling regimes to suppress dissent and resist democratizing forces.

Dunayevskaya, Raya. Philosophy and Revolution: From Hegel to Sartre and From Marx to Mao. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2003.

AI Summary: Moves from a philosophical appreciation of Hegel and Marx to an evaluation of USSR and Maoist China as totalitarian state capitalist societies. Author was a Ukrainian emigre to the U.S. after the Russian Revolution. Worked as Leon Trotsky’s secretary in Mexico in the 1930s, broke with Trotsky after analyzing the USSR as a state capitalist society in 1939, became a philosopher and longtime participant in the U.S. labor, Black liberation, and women’s rights movements.

Guriev, Sergei, and Daniel Treisman. Spin Dictators: The Changing Face of Tyranny in the 21st Century. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2022.

AI Summary: “Spin Dictators: The Changing Face of Tyranny in the 21st Century (2022) by Sergei Guriev and Daniel Treisman examines the evolution of authoritarian regimes, distinguishing between traditional “fear dictators” and the more contemporary “spin dictators.” The authors argue that while classic autocrats like Stalin and Mao maintained power through overt violence and repression, modern autocrats such as Vladimir Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Viktor Orbán employ subtler methods, including media manipulation, controlled elections, and selective repression, to maintain control and project an image of legitimacy.”

Helms, Ludger. “Twenty‐First Century Autocrats and Their Followers: A Comparative Inquiry.” Politics and Governance 13 (2025). doi:10.17645/pag.9065.

AI Summary: Ludger Helms’s article offers a comparative analysis of authoritarian leadership and followership, challenging the assumption that these dynamics are exclusive to autocratic regimes. He argues that twenty-first-century autocrats often operate within democratic systems, using personalization, polarization, and post-truth politics to erode democratic norms while maintaining a façade of legitimacy. The study highlights how authoritarian followers actively legitimize autocratic leaders, not just through support but by attacking dissenters, revealing their crucial role in sustaining authoritarian rule across regime types.

Nisnevich, Yuliy. “Modern authoritarianism and corruption.” Available at SSRN 2728822 (2016).

AI Summary: The article explores the phenomenon of political instability—marked by coups, civil wars, and transnational terrorism—as a defining feature of authoritarian governance, underscoring its threat to global security and democratic resilience.

Central Eastern Europe and Euroasia

Alyukov, Maxim. “Making Sense of the News in an Authoritarian Regime: Russian Television Viewers’ Reception of the Russia–Ukraine Conflict.” Europe-Asia Studies 74, no. 3 (2022): 337–59. https://doi.org/10.1080/09668136.2021.2016633.

AI Summary: Based on focus group research, this study reveals how Russian TV viewers oscillate between criticism and support of the regime due to a lack of stable political maturity. The regime benefits from an “authoritarian equilibrium” as citizens struggle to form a coherent political stance.

Alyukov, Maxim, and Margarita Zavadskaya. “Fake News’ a Powerful Propaganda Tool for Authoritarian Leaders: Evidence from Russia.” King’s College London press release, 2024.

AI Summary: An experimental study demonstrating how Kremlin “fake news” and pseudo-fact-checking campaigns (“War on Fakes”) undermine trust in independent media, creating cognitive confusion among the population. Baran, Şebnem. “Populist fandoms and anti-fandoms: politics, polarization, and celebritization in Turkey.” JCMS: Journal of Cinema and Media Studies 63, no. 2 (2024): 183-188. AI Summary: “This article explores how populist political figures in Turkey cultivate intense fan followings (“populist fandoms”) while simultaneously generating oppositional “anti-fandoms.” Baran analyzes how this dynamic fuels political polarization and shapes public discourse through the lens of celebrity culture. The study highlights the role of media and digital platforms in amplifying both fervent support and antagonism, revealing how politics and celebritization intertwine in contemporary Turkey.”

Bialer, Seweryn. Stalin’s Successors: Leadership, Stability and Change in the Soviet Union. Cambridge University Press, 1982.

AI Summary: “Examines the leadership transitions following Stalin’s death and how these affected the Soviet Union’s political stability and policy shifts. Bialer analyzes the mechanisms of power, reform efforts, and continuity in Soviet governance during the post-Stalin era.”

Boromisza-Habashi, David. Speaking hatefully: Culture, communication, and political action in Hungary. Penn State Press, 2013.

AI Summary: “Explores how hateful speech operates within Hungarian culture and political discourse. The book investigates how communication practices facilitate political mobilization, social divisions, and the perpetuation of exclusionary ideologies.”

Buckley, Noah, Kyle L. Marquardt, Ora John Reuter, and Katerina Tertytchnaya. “Endogenous Popularity: How Perceptions of Support Affect the Popularity of Authoritarian Regimes.” The American Political Science Review 118, no. 2 (2024): 1046–52. Summary (AI): The article explores how people’s perceptions of an authoritarian leader’s popularity alone can shape their actual support for that leader. Using survey experiments in Russia, the authors found that exposure to positive or negative information about Vladimir Putin’s popularity alone influenced respondents’ own attitudes toward him in general. Crucially, these effects weren’t just people faking conformity—they reflected genuine changes in belief. The study suggests that authoritarian regimes can sustain power by amplifying their perceived popularity, creating a self-reinforcing cycle of support.

Channell-Justice, Emily. Without the State: Self-Organization and Political Activism in Ukraine. University of Toronto Press, 2022.

AI Summary: This book analyzes how Ukrainian society has engaged in self-organization and activism in the absence of strong state structures. It reveals how grassroots movements can resist authoritarian pressures by fostering civic engagement and solidarity, thus challenging centralized power and promoting democratic participation. Coşkun, Gülçin Balamir. “Media Capture Strategies in New Authoritarian States: The Case of Turkey.” Publizistik 65, no. 4 (2020): 637–54. doi:10.1007/s11616-020-00600-9. Summary (AI): The article examines how the ruling AKP party in Turkey has systematically taken control of the media landscape, using a framework of “media capture” to analyze its strategies. It identifies three main tactics: establishing pro-government private media outlets, applying financial pressure on independent media, and criminalizing or intimidating journalists. These methods reflect a broader trend in new authoritarian regimes, where democratic institutions are hollowed out while maintaining a façade of electoral legitimacy.

Dimitrov, Martin K. 2014. “What the Party Wanted to Know Citizen Complaints as a “Barometer of Public Opinion” in Communist Bulgaria.” East European Politics & Societies 28(2):271–295.

AI Summary: “This article studies how the Bulgarian Communist Party used citizen complaints to gauge public opinion. It reveals how complaints functioned as a controlled feedback mechanism shaping governance and revealing popular grievances under authoritarian control.”

Elswah, Mona, and Philip N Howard. 2020. “‘Anything That Causes Chaos’: The Organizational Behavior of Russia Today (RT).” Journal of Communication 70 (5): 623–45. https://doi.org/10.1093/joc/jqaa027.

AI Summary: “This article investigates the operational strategies of RT (Russia Today), highlighting how the network deliberately amplifies chaotic and divisive content to destabilize political discourse globally. Elswah and Howard analyze RT’s organizational tactics, including disinformation, amplification of conspiracy theories, and exploitation of social media dynamics, to influence public opinion and sow discord in target countries.” Erden, Özgür Olgun. “Politicising Death in the Covid-19 Outbreak: AKP, Necropolitics and Right-Authoritarianism in Turkey.” Javnost-The Public 30, no. 1 (2023): 82-95. AI Summary: “This article examines how the ruling AKP government in Turkey employed necropolitics—the politics of death—to manage the COVID-19 crisis. Erden argues that the government’s handling of the pandemic reinforced right-wing authoritarian control by politicizing death, controlling narratives around mortality, and using public health as a tool to consolidate power.”

Field, Anjalie, Doron Kliger, Shuly Wintner, Jennifer Pan, Dan Jurafsky, and Yulia Tsvetkov. “Framing and Agenda-Setting in Russian News: A Computational Analysis of Intricate Political Strategies.” arXiv, 2018. https://arxiv.org/abs/1808.09386.

AI Summary: Analyzing 100,000 articles from Izvestia (2005–2017), this study uncovers subtle agenda-setting and framing strategies by state media, including distraction tactics and emphasizing U.S. threats during Russian economic downturns.

Gornik, Barbara. “Affective Authoritarianism and Anti-Government Protests: Demokracija’s Journalistic Narratives as Acts of “Making People Feel” in Authoritarian Ways.” Javnost-The Public 32, no. 2 (2025): 280-299.

AI Summary: “Analyzes how journalistic narratives in the publication Demokracija evoke emotional responses that align with authoritarian values, shaping public sentiment during anti-government protests and reinforcing affective control mechanisms.”

Hale, Henry E. Patronal Politics: Eurasian Regime Dynamics in Comparative Perspective. Cambridge University Press, 2015.

AI Summary: Henry E. Hale discusses the patronal nature of political regimes in Eurasia, where personal networks and patron-client relationships dominate political interactions. He argues that these structures often lead to authoritarianism by concentrating power within elite circles, limiting democratic accountability, and perpetuating regime stability through informal means.

Haskins, Ekaterina V. “Places of Protest in Putin’s Russia: Pussy Riot’s Punk Prayer and Show Trial.” Journal for the History of Rhetoric (formerly Advances in the History of Rhetoric) 18.2 (2015): 227-247.

AI Summary: “Haskins examines Pussy Riot’s high-profile protest performances and subsequent trials as emblematic acts of resistance within Putin’s Russia. The study focuses on how the group’s symbolic use of public space and media visibility challenged authoritarian control, and how the state’s legal and rhetorical responses sought to reassert dominance and suppress dissent.”

Haskins, Ekaterina V. Remembering the War, Forgetting the Terror: Appeals to Family Memory in Putin’s Russia. University Park, PA: Penn State Press, 2024.

AI Summary: “This book explores how collective memory in Russia, especially family and wartime narratives, is strategically mobilized to promote nationalism while obscuring state-led violence and repression. Haskins discusses how these memory practices serve to legitimize Putin’s regime by fostering selective historical remembrance that prioritizes patriotic themes over darker aspects of Russian history.”

Kerr, Jaclyn A. 2018. “Information, Security, and Authoritarian Stability: Internet Policy Diffusion and Coordination in the Former Soviet Region.” International Journal of Communication 12(2018), 3814–3834.

AI Summary: Jaclyn A. Kerr’s article, “Information, Security, and Authoritarian Stability: Internet Policy Diffusion and Coordination in the Former Soviet Region,” published in the International Journal of Communication (2018), examines how nondemocratic regimes in the former Soviet Union have developed and adopted similar Internet control policies. Rather than relying heavily on overt censorship, these regimes have implemented subtler methods, such as legal frameworks, surveillance technologies, and the concept of “information security,” to manage and manipulate online information. Kerr argues that these practices have spread across the region through mechanisms of policy diffusion and coordination, influenced by shared institutional histories and regional interdependencies. The study highlights how these coordinated efforts have contributed to the stability of authoritarian regimes in the digital age by adapting to the challenges posed by increased Internet usage.

Khrebtan-Hörhager, Julia. “Collages of memory: Remembering the second world war differently as the epistemology of crafting cultural conflicts between Russia and Ukraine.” Journal of Intercultural Communication Research 45, no. 4 (2016): 282-303.

AI Summary: “Explores how divergent memories of WWII are constructed and used to shape national identities and cultural conflicts between Russia and Ukraine, emphasizing memory as a contested epistemological tool in geopolitical narratives.”

Khrebtan-Hörhager, Julia. Communicating the Other across Cultures: From Othering as Equipment for Living, to Communicating Other/Wise. University of Michigan Press, 2023.

AI Summary: “Develops a theoretical framework for intercultural communication that moves beyond simplistic concepts of “othering,” focusing on how cultures construct and negotiate identity and difference through communication.”

Korablyova, Valeria. “Who Owns the Ukrainian State? Tensions between the People and the Elites after 1991.” In Analysing Conflict Settings. Case Studies from Eastern Europe with a Focus on Ukraine, edited by A. Gawrich, P. Haslinger, and M. Wingender, 25-44. Harrasowitz Verlag, 2022.

AI Summary: Valeria Korablyova examines the post-1991 power struggles in Ukraine, highlighting the tensions between the populace and political elites. Her analysis reveals how these conflicts have shaped the state’s development, often resulting in authoritarian practices as elites seek to consolidate power amidst societal demands for greater participation.

Levina, M. (2022). Epidemiology as methodology: COVID-19, Ukraine, and the problem of whiteness. Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies, 19(2), 112-118.

AI Summary: “This article critiques how epidemiological discourse during COVID-19 intersects with geopolitical narratives, especially concerning Ukraine, to reveal racialized assumptions embedded in public health communication. Levina highlights how whiteness operates as an unmarked norm shaping perceptions of vulnerability and crisis.”

Miles, Caitlin M. 2025. “‘It’s Chaos’: Affective Spaces of Journalism in Istanbul.” Journal of Communication 75 (1): 42–50. https://doi.org/10.1093/joc/jqae035.

AI Summary: “Miles explores the emotional and affective dimensions of journalism in Istanbul, focusing on how journalists navigate chaotic political and social environments. The article highlights the tensions and uncertainties that shape news production and reporting under pressures of political instability and censorship.”

Miklossy, Katalin and Marku Kangaspuro, eds. 2022. Conservatism and Memory Politics in Russia and Eastern Europe. London: Routledge.

AI Summary: “This edited volume explores how conservative political movements in Russia and Eastern Europe use memory politics to shape national identity, legitimize current regimes, and influence public discourse. The collection examines how historical narratives—especially regarding war, communism, and nationhood—are mobilized to foster conservative values and resist liberal or progressive agendas.”

Pearce, Katy E., Sarah Kendzior. Networked Authoritarianism and Social Media in Azerbaijan, Journal of Communication, Volume 62, Issue 2, April 2012, Pages 283–298, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2012.01633.x

AI Summary: “This article investigates how the Azerbaijani government leverages social media platforms to sustain authoritarian control. Pearce and Kendzior analyze strategies of online censorship, propaganda, and surveillance that create a “networked authoritarianism,” where digital spaces are tightly controlled to suppress dissent and shape public opinion while maintaining a façade of open communication.”

Soldatov, Andrei, and Irina Borogan. The Red Web: The Struggle Between Russia’s Digital Dictators and the New Online Revolutionaries. New York: Public Affairs, 2017.

AI Summary: A detailed analysis of Russia’s digital control mechanisms, from cyber espionage to persecution of online activists, highlighting digital repression and the corresponding rise of mobile opposition movements.

Somer, Murat. “Understanding Turkey’s democratic breakdown: Old vs. new and indigenous vs. global authoritarianism.” In Exit from democracy, pp. 13-36. Routledge, 2018.

AI Summary: “Somer analyzes the factors behind Turkey’s democratic decline, contrasting traditional authoritarian legacies (“old authoritarianism”) with recent developments shaped by global authoritarian trends (“new authoritarianism”). The chapter also addresses how indigenous political and cultural dynamics interact with global authoritarian influences to produce Turkey’s unique trajectory.”

Sonnevend, Julia. “Populist Iconicity: The Contradictions of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán as a Political Celebrity.” JCMS: Journal of Cinema and Media Studies 63, no. 2 (2024): 169-175.

AI Summary: “This article explores the tensions in Orbán’s image as a populist leader and political celebrity, focusing on how media representation creates contradictory perceptions that both challenge and bolster his authority. It discusses how Orbán’s iconic status is mediated through cultural narratives that reflect broader populist dynamics.”

Sonnevend, Julia, and Veronika Kövesdi. 2023. “More Than Just a Strongman: The Strategic Construction of Victor Orbán’s Charismatic Authority on Facebook.” The International Journal of Press/Politics 29 (4), 891-918: https://doi.org/10.1177/19401612231179120

AI Summary: “This study analyzes how Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s charismatic authority is carefully constructed and maintained through Facebook. It emphasizes the strategic use of social media to blend populist rhetoric with celebrity politics, reinforcing his image as a strong, relatable leader beyond traditional authoritarian stereotypes.”

Wynnyckyj, Mykhailo. Ukraine’s Maidan, Russia’s War: A Chronicle and Analysis of the Revolution of Dignity. Ibidem Verlag, 2022.

AI Summary: Mykhailo Wynnyckyj provides a detailed account of Ukraine’s Maidan movement and its aftermath, emphasizing the struggle for dignity against authoritarian encroachment. His analysis highlights the resilience of civil society in confronting both domestic and foreign authoritarian pressures, offering insights into the dynamics of revolutionary change.

Yilmaz, Ihsan. 2023. “The Nexus of Digital Authoritarianism and Religious Populism.” Religions 14 (6): 747. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14060747.

AI Summary: In “The Nexus of Digital Authoritarianism and Religious Populism” (2023), Ihsan Yilmaz analyzes how Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) fuses Islamist populism with digital authoritarianism to control dissent and consolidate power. Using a four-tier framework of internet governance—ranging from infrastructure-level controls to individual surveillance—Yilmaz demonstrates how religious rhetoric is employed to justify censorship, surveillance, and repression. The AKP mobilizes state religious institutions like the Diyanet to legitimize its digital policies, while also weaponizing social media through pro-government trolls, restrictive legislation, and targeted prosecutions. This convergence of religious populism and digital repression enables the regime to frame dissent as both a political and moral threat, thus reinforcing authoritarian rule under the guise of defending national and Islamic values.

Middle East:

Afary, Janet and Kevin B. Anderson. Foucault and the Iranian Revolution: Gender & the Seductions of Islamism. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2005.

AI Summary: “This book critically examines Michel Foucault’s engagement with the Iranian Revolution of 1979, focusing on his fascination with Islamism. Afary and Anderson explore how Foucault’s analysis overlooked the complex gender dynamics and the oppressive realities faced by women under the new regime. The authors argue that while the revolution promised liberation, it ultimately imposed strict patriarchal controls, and they critique Foucault’s romanticized view of revolutionary Islamism through a feminist lens. The book highlights the tension between revolutionary ideals and the gendered consequences of political Islam.”

Abrahams, Alexei, and Andrew Leber. “Electronic Armies or Cyber Knights? The Sources of Pro-Authoritarian Discourse on Middle East Twitter.” International Journal of Communication (Online), 2021, 1173.

AI Summary: Alexei Abrahams and Andrew Leber investigate the origins of pro-authoritarian discourse on Middle East Twitter, challenging the assumption that such content is primarily driven by state-controlled bot networks. Through mixed-methods analysis of politically charged hashtags—especially in Saudi Arabia—they find limited evidence of top-down manipulation, suggesting that much of the pro-regime rhetoric is organically produced by influential users. The authors propose shifting focus from “electronic armies” of bots to “cyber knights,” individuals who voluntarily or strategically amplify authoritarian narratives online.

AlAhmad, Hussein. Stabilizing Authoritarianism: The Political Echo in Pan-Arab Satellite TV News Media. 1st ed. Singapore: Palgrave Macmillan, 2024. doi:10.1007/978-981-97-3798-7.

AI Summary: Hussein AlAhmad’s Stabilizing Authoritarianism explores how Pan-Arab satellite TV news media reinforce authoritarian rule by amplifying the narratives of power elites across international, regional, and domestic levels. Using the Palestinian internal conflict as a case study, the book reveals how media institutions serve as strategic tools for legitimizing autocratic governance amid political instability and global competition for influence. AlAhmad argues that this mediatized echo chamber enables regimes to control public discourse, suppress dissent, and maintain authoritarian stability under the guise of national sovereignty and crisis management.

Asgari, Helia, and Katharine Sarikakis. “Beyond the ‘Online’: Iranian Women’s Non-Movement of Resistance.” Journal of Arab & Muslim Media Research 12, no. 2 (2019): 235–52.

AI Summary: Helia Asgari and Katharine Sarikakis explore how Iranian women resist authoritarian repression not through organized movements, but via everyday acts of defiance—what Asef Bayat calls “social non-movements.” These women challenge patriarchal laws and state control by subtly reclaiming public space and using social media to build networks and express political demands, despite surveillance and censorship. The study reveals that authoritarian regimes can be undermined through dispersed, informal resistance, where ordinary actions gradually reshape norms and contest state-imposed limitations on gender and freedom.

Bakis, J. Karakoç, and Jülide Karakoç. Authoritarianism in the Middle East: Before and After the Arab Uprisings. 1st ed. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2015. doi:10.1057/9781137445551.

AI Summary: Authoritarianism in the Middle East: Before and After the Arab Uprisings offers a rich collection of case studies that examine the persistence and transformation of authoritarian regimes across the region. The volume highlights how the Arab uprisings triggered both democratizing hopes and authoritarian retrenchment, with many regimes adapting through repression, co-optation, and selective reforms to maintain control. By analyzing diverse contexts—from Turkey to Egypt and Saudi Arabia—the book reveals how authoritarianism remains deeply embedded in political structures, often surviving through strategic manipulation of institutions, gender norms, and minority rights.

Bryant, Elizabeth. “The Iron Fist vs. the Microchip.” Journal of Strategic Security 5, no. 2 (2012): 1–26. doi:10.5038/1944-0472.5.2.1.

AI Summary: Elizabeth Bryant’s article explores how information and communication technology (ICT) serves as both a threat and a tool for authoritarian regimes, especially in the context of the Arab Spring. While ICT can empower dissidents and democratizing movements, Bryant argues that savvy autocrats in countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Iran have adapted by deploying surveillance, censorship, and propaganda to maintain control. The study emphasizes that authoritarian resilience in the digital age hinges on regimes’ ability to co-opt technology, turning contested digital spaces into instruments of repression rather than liberation.

Bush, Sarah Sunn, and Amaney A Jamal. “Anti-Americanism, Authoritarian Politics, and Attitudes about Women’s Representation: Evidence from a Survey Experiment in Jordan.” International Studies Quarterly 59, no. 1 (2015): 34–45. doi:10.1111/isqu.12139.

AI Summary: Sarah Sunn Bush and Amaney Jamal investigate how foreign and domestic endorsements of women’s political representation affect public opinion in Jordan, a country marked by authoritarian governance and high levels of anti-American sentiment. Their survey experiment reveals that American support for gender quotas does not increase overall support for women in politics; instead, both foreign and domestic endorsements polarize attitudes based on citizens’ views of the regime. The study concludes that elite cues—especially when perceived as regime-aligned—can undermine reform legitimacy among regime opponents, complicating efforts to promote women’s rights in authoritarian contexts.

Hassan, Miaad. “Secular Authoritarian Regimes and Their Islamist Rivals in the Middle East and North Africa: Emerging Trends in Turkey’s Party System.” Asian Journal of Comparative Politics 8, no. 4 (2023): 923–45.doi:10.1177/20578911231166709.

AI Summary: Miaad Hassan’s article explores how secular authoritarian regimes in the Middle East and North Africa have historically suppressed Islamist movements, yet inadvertently fueled their rise by ignoring deep-rooted social cleavages. Focusing on Turkey’s evolving party system, Hassan argues that political Islam gained traction as a response to exclusionary secular nationalism, reshaping the region’s ideological landscape through identity-based mobilization.

Holt, Maria. “What Does a Feminist Look Like? Arab Women’s Activism as a Challenge to Authoritarian Politics.” KADEM Kadın Araştırmaları Dergisi 11, no. 1 (2025): 73–102. doi:10.21798/kadem.2025.174.

AI Summary: Maria Holt examines how Arab women’s activism—particularly during and after the Arab Spring—has challenged entrenched authoritarian structures by asserting feminist agency in public spaces. Drawing on women’s own voices, Holt argues that many activists were compelled to become feminists as a response to patriarchal repression, even as authoritarian regimes and societal norms sought to suppress their efforts. The study highlights the tension between emancipatory grassroots movements and the reassertion of authoritarian control, questioning whether feminist activism can truly transform political landscapes dominated by reactionary power.

Johansson-Nogués, E, and A Rivera-Escartin. “Authoritarianism’s Reemergence in North Africa and the Middle East: The Cases of Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia.” Contemporary Politics, 2025, 1–19. doi:10.1080/13569775.2025.2509338.

AI Summary: Johansson-Nogués and Rivera-Escartin investigate the resurgence of authoritarianism in Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia following the initial democratic openings of the Arab Spring. The authors argue that regimes in these countries have adapted by deploying hybrid governance models, co-opting opposition forces, and leveraging security apparatuses to suppress dissent while maintaining a veneer of democratic legitimacy. This reemergence of authoritarianism is framed as a strategic recalibration rather than a reversal, revealing how autocratic resilience is embedded in institutional manipulation and regional political dynamics.

Jones, Marc Owen. Digital Authoritarianism in the Middle East: Deception, Disinformation and Social Media. London: Hurst, 2022.

AI Summary: Marc Owen Jones investigates how regimes in the Persian Gulf and broader MENA region weaponize social media to entrench authoritarian control through deception, disinformation, and surveillance. The book exposes tactics such as bot armies, fake journalists, and Western PR firms that whitewash human rights abuses, creating a manipulated digital reality that stifles dissent and distorts public discourse. Jones argues that these regimes have transformed digital platforms—once seen as tools of liberation—into instruments of repression, reshaping authoritarianism for the information age.

Kermani, Hossein. Twitter Activism in Iran: Social Media and Democracy in Authoritarian Regimes. 1st ed. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2025. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-81538-6.

AI Summary: Hossein Kermani’s Twitter Activism in Iran investigates how Iranian citizens use Twitter—despite it being blocked since 2009—to challenge authoritarian rule and mobilize dissent in a tightly controlled media environment. Through discourse and network analysis, the book reveals how digital activism fosters counter-narratives, protest coordination, and political engagement, especially during pivotal moments like the #MahsaAmini movement. Kermani also examines how the regime responds with surveillance, censorship, and bot-driven propaganda, showing that social media is both a battleground and a lifeline for democratic resistance in authoritarian contexts.

King, Stephen J. The New Authoritarianism in the Middle East and North Africa. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2009.

AI Summary: Stephen J. King’s The New Authoritarianism in the Middle East and North Africa analyzes why democratization efforts have largely failed in countries like Egypt, Tunisia, Syria, and Algeria, despite global trends toward political liberalization. He argues that authoritarian regimes in the region have adapted through shifting coalitions, economic reforms, and institutional transformations that reinforce their resilience. By moving beyond cultural explanations, King offers a structural and political economy approach to understanding the persistence and evolution of authoritarian rule.

Lacouture, Matthew T. “Claiming a ‘Right’ to State Space: Building Social Movements Under Authoritarian Rule.” Comparative Political Studies 58, no. 7 (2025): 1462–94. doi:10.1177/00104140241269959.

AI Summary: Matthew T. Lacouture’s article explores how social movements in authoritarian regimes strategically claim access to state-controlled spaces to assert political rights and visibility. Drawing on cases from Jordan, he argues that activists navigate repression by framing their demands in spatial terms, transforming state space into a contested arena for resistance. The study reveals that even under authoritarian constraints, spatial claims can foster collective identity and mobilization, challenging dominant narratives of state control.

Medani, Khalid Mustafa. “Teaching the ‘New Middle East’: Beyond Authoritarianism.” PS, Political Science & Politics 46, no. 2 (2013): 222–24. doi:10.1017/S1049096513000176.

AI Summary: Khalid Mustafa Medani’s article critiques the dominant narrative of “durable authoritarianism” in the Arab world, arguing that the 2011 uprisings revealed the vitality of civil society and the limits of state repression. He calls for a rethinking of how the Middle East is taught, urging scholars to move beyond outdated frameworks and incorporate new analytical tools that reflect recent political transformations. Medani emphasizes the importance of integrating comparative perspectives and contemporary developments to better understand the region’s evolving political landscape.

Michaelsen, Marcus. 2018. “Transforming Threats to Power: The International Politics of Authoritarian Internet Control in Iran.” International Journal of Communication 12(2018), 3835–3855.

AI Summary: Michaelsen examines how Iran’s authoritarian regime leverages international political dynamics to justify and enhance its domestic Internet control measures. The author argues that external pressures—such as Western democracy promotion, cyberattacks, and international sanctions—are perceived by the Iranian state as threats to its sovereignty and stability. In response, Iran has intensified its censorship and surveillance capabilities and pursued the development of a state-controlled “national Internet” infrastructure. Michaelsen contends that these international factors are integral to understanding the evolution of Iran’s digital authoritarianism, highlighting the interplay between global geopolitical tensions and domestic information control strategies

Minhas, Shahid, Blessing Magocha, and Mokgadi Molope. “Democratic Instability in Post-Colonial Zimbabwe and Pakistan: A Comparative Analysis.” Cogent Social Sciences 11, no. 1 (2025). doi:10.1080/23311886.2025.2496439.

AI Summary: In this article, the authors analyze how historical legacies, military interference, and flawed electoral systems have undermined democratic governance in both countries. The authors argue that authoritarianism manifests through corruption, constitutional crises, and repression of civil liberties, often masked by legal frameworks and sovereignty claims that entrench elite power. By comparing these postcolonial states, the study highlights how authoritarian actors exploit institutional weaknesses and societal divisions to erode democratic norms and legitimacy.

Posusney, Marsha Pripstein, and Michele Penner Angrist. Authoritarianism in the Middle East : Regimes and Resistance. Boulder, Colo: Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc., 2005.

AI Summary: This volume investigates why authoritarian regimes persist in the Middle East despite global trends toward democratization, emphasizing institutional dynamics over cultural explanations. Through comparative case studies, contributors analyze how coercive institutions, elite fragmentation, and strategic opposition behavior shape political outcomes across the region. The book challenges assumptions of Middle Eastern exceptionalism and highlights both the resilience of authoritarian systems and the nuanced forms of resistance that emerge within them.

Sakr, Naomi, Sarah Anne Ganter, and Hanan Badr. “Media Governance as Diagnostic Lens to Probe Hidden Dimensions of Authoritarian Decision-Making in the Arab Middle East.” In Media Governance, 39–57. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2022.

AI Summary: Naomi Sakr, Sarah Anne Ganter, and Hanan Badr’s chapter uses media governance as a diagnostic tool to uncover the informal, opaque mechanisms that sustain authoritarian decision-making in the Arab Middle East. Through case studies of copyright violations and social media censorship, the authors show how non-transparent regulatory practices—often dispersed across borders—serve elite interests while evading accountability. The study argues that analyzing silences, inaction, and informal coercion reveals the hidden architecture of authoritarian control, where media regulation becomes a strategic instrument of repression rather than democratic oversight.

Salamey, Imad, and Frederic S Pearson. “The Collapse of Middle Eastern Authoritarianism: Breaking the Barriers of Fear and Power.” Third World Quarterly 33, no. 5 (2012): 931–48. doi:10.1080/01436597.2012.674702.

AI Summary: Imad Salamey and Frederic S. Pearson’s article analyzes the erosion of authoritarian rule in the Middle East during the 2009–2012 uprisings, arguing that decades of repression were finally challenged by grassroots movements empowered by globalization and digital communication. The authors contend that authoritarian regimes collapsed not solely due to internal grievances, but also because international actors prioritized stability over democratic transformation, inadvertently sustaining autocratic rule. The study frames this moment as a potential “fourth wave” of democratization, emphasizing that future democratic consolidation depends on overcoming authoritarian counter-resistance and building inclusive civic states.

Selvik, Kjetil, and Banafsheh Ranji. “Messaging Soleimani’s Killing: The Communication Vulnerabilities of Authoritarian States.” International Affairs (London) 99, no. 6 (2023): 2465–84. doi:10.1093/ia/iiad223.

AI Summary: Kjetil Selvik and Banafsheh Ranji analyze how the Iranian regime struggled to control the narrative surrounding Qasem Soleimani’s assassination, revealing key communication vulnerabilities in authoritarian states. Using Persian-language satellite media commentary, they show that patriotic support was limited and only intensified after threats to Iranian cultural sites, highlighting the regime’s fragile grip on public sentiment. The article argues that authoritarian governments face significant challenges when forced to rely on communication strategies beyond disinformation and distortion.

Tansel, Cemal Burak, Jamie Peck, and Nik Theodore. “Neoliberalism and the Antagonisms of Authoritarian Resilience in the Middle East.” The South Atlantic Quarterly 118, no. 2 (2019): 287–305. doi:10.1215/00382876-7381146.

AI Summary: Cemal Burak Tansel, Jamie Peck, and Nik Theodore argue that neoliberal reforms in the Middle East have paradoxically reinforced authoritarian regimes while simultaneously generating tensions that undermine their legitimacy and institutional capacity. By examining Egypt and Turkey, the authors show how executive centralization and economic liberalization create contradictions that open space for contesting both authoritarianism and neoliberalism.

Topak, Özgün E., Merouan Mekouar, and Francesco Cavatorta, eds. New Authoritarian Practices in the Middle East and North Africa. First edition. Edinburgh, Scotland: Edinburgh University Press, 2022. doi:10.1515/9781474489430.

AI Summary: This edited volume examines how authoritarian regimes in the Middle East and North Africa have adapted and evolved since the Arab Spring, deploying new tools of repression alongside traditional methods. Through case studies from 16 countries, contributors highlight practices such as digital surveillance, protest policing, and legal manipulation to suppress dissent and maintain control. By focusing on micro-level tactics, the book situates regional authoritarianism within broader global trends, challenging assumptions of exceptionalism.

Yassin-Kassab and Leila al-Shami. Burning Country: Syrians in Revolution and War. London: Pluto Press, 2016.

AI Summary: “This book provides a detailed, on-the-ground account of the Syrian uprising and subsequent civil war. Written by activists and journalists with deep connections to the region, it captures the voices and experiences of ordinary Syrians—protesters, rebels, and civilians—whose lives have been shaped by the conflict. The authors explore the complex social, political, and sectarian dynamics fueling the war, as well as the hopes and challenges of revolution. The narrative challenges mainstream media portrayals and highlights the human cost and grassroots resistance behind the headlines.”

Valbjørn, Morten. “What’s so Sectarian about Sectarian Politics? Identity Politics and Authoritarianism in a New Middle East.” Studies in Ethnicity and Nationalism 19, no. 1 (2019): 127–49. doi:10.1111/sena.12289.

AI Summary: Morten Valbjørn challenges conventional understandings of sectarianism by showing that sectarian politics in the Middle East often mirror broader authoritarian identity strategies. Drawing on comparative cases and Brubaker’s theory, he argues that sectarian practices are not inherently exceptional but reflect familiar modes of inclusion, exclusion, and power consolidation.

Wheeler, Deborah L. “The Micro-Demise of Authoritarianism in the Middle East: Working around the State in Comparative Perspective.” In Digital Resistance in the Middle East, 115–30, 2017.

AI Summary: Deborah L. Wheeler’s chapter explores how ordinary citizens in the Middle East use digital tools to resist authoritarian regimes through subtle, everyday acts of defiance. She identifies three key forms of “networking around the state”: digital disclosure to expose bad governance, people-to-people diplomacy, and social media activism for social change. The study argues that these micro-empowerments—though individually small—collectively challenge authoritarian control by creating new public spheres and amplifying civic agency in repressive contexts.

Wedeen, Lisa. Ambiguities of Domination: Politics, Rhetoric, and Symbols in Contemporary Syria. University of Chicago Press, 1999.

AI Summary: Lisa Wedeen’s ethnographic study examines the strategies of authoritarian rule under Hafez al-Assad in Syria, focusing on the regime’s use of political spectacle and symbolic rhetoric. She argues that the Asad cult, although widely disbelieved, serves as a disciplinary mechanism that enforces obedience and public complicity, shaping citizens’ behaviors even as they privately resist. This work offers a nuanced analysis of how authoritarian power is maintained not just through fear, but through the pervasive ambiguity of public rituals and enforced displays of loyalty.

Africa:

Albrecht, Holger. Raging Against the Machine: Political Opposition under Authoritarianism in Egypt. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2013.

AI Summary: Holger Albrecht’s Raging Against the Machine explores how political opposition in Egypt persisted for decades under Hosni Mubarak’s authoritarian regime without fundamentally altering the system or being fully suppressed. The book reveals a complex landscape of opposition—including Islamist movements, human rights groups, and protest organizations—that operated within tightly controlled boundaries, often tolerated but strategically contained by the regime. Albrecht argues that this dynamic reflects how authoritarianism adapts to accommodate limited dissent, using co-optation and selective repression to maintain control while projecting a façade of pluralism.

Aliyev, Pelin. “Understanding the Gains and Challenges of Democratization Process in Sub-Saharan Africa: Is Democratic Progress Under Threat?” Insan & Toplum Dergisi 15, no. 2 (2025): 147–70. doi:10.12658/M0765.

AI Summary: Pelin Aliyev investigates the democratization trajectories of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, highlighting both progress and persistent threats to democratic consolidation. While increased voter participation and public support for democracy signal positive developments, these gains are repeatedly undermined by military coups, authoritarian leadership tendencies, and electoral violence. The study underscores how fragile democratic institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa remain vulnerable to authoritarian resurgence, posing serious challenges to sustainable governance and political stability.

Arriola, Leonardo R., Lise Rakner, and Nicolas Van de Walle, eds. Democratic Backsliding in Africa? : Autocratization, Resilience, and Contention. New York, New York: Oxford University Press, 2022.

AI Summary: Democratic Backsliding in Africa? examines how African governments resist democratization by deploying underexplored strategies such as legal manipulation and international diplomacy to suppress civic activism and external pressure. Through case studies of Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, the book reveals how incumbents exploit constitutional law and sovereignty claims to entrench authoritarian rule while maintaining a façade of democratic legitimacy. Despite these challenges, the authors highlight moments of resilience and contention, showing how civil society and opposition actors navigate and sometimes counteract these autocratizing forces.

Fenner, Sofia. Shouting in a Cage: Political Life After Authoritarian Co-optation in North Africa. New York: Columbia University Press, 2023.

AI Summary: Sofia Fenner’s Shouting in a Cage investigates how opposition parties in Egypt and Morocco—once powerful nationalist movements—have been co-opted by authoritarian regimes, transforming them into symbolic actors with limited political influence. Rather than viewing co-optation as a transactional sellout, Fenner argues it is a discursive struggle, where parties maintain anti-authoritarian narratives despite operating within autocratic systems. This nuanced analysis reveals how authoritarianism constrains political life while allowing remnants of resistance to persist through party identity, historical memory, and generational continuity.

Ferreira da Costa, Bruno. “Between Populism and Authoritarianism – The Vertex of the Southern Hemisphere.” Cadernos de Estudos Africanos, no. 47 (2025): 145–63. doi:10.15847/cea47.41477.

AI Summary: Bruno Ferreira da Costa’s article explores the intertwined rise of populism and authoritarianism in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly in Africa and Latin America, as a response to democratic stagnation and global crises. He argues that charismatic leaders and populist movements exploit citizen grievances—often amplified by economic inequality and media manipulation—to consolidate power and erode democratic norms. By analyzing governance models and political systems, the study reveals how authoritarian regimes adapt populist rhetoric to legitimize control, resist democratization, and reshape international political dynamics.

Freyburg, Tina, and Lisa Garbe. 2018. “Authoritarian Practices in the Digital Age| Blocking the Bottleneck: Internet Shutdowns and Ownership at Election Times in Sub-Saharan Africa.” International Journal of Communication 12(2018), 3896–3916.

AI Summary: Tina Freyburg and Lisa Garbe examine how authoritarian regimes in Sub-Saharan Africa use internet shutdowns during elections as a tool of political control, focusing on the role of infrastructure ownership. They find that shutdowns are more likely when governments hold majority ownership in internet service providers (ISPs), especially during periods of election-related violence. The study highlights how state control over digital infrastructure enables repression, challenging assumptions about the internet’s decentralizing potential in authoritarian contexts.

Geschiere, Peter, and Francis B. Nyamnjoh. “Capitalism and autochthony: the seesaw of mobility and belonging.” Public culture 12, no. 2 (2000): 423-452.

AI Summary: “Peter Geschiere and Francis B. Nyamnjoh’s article, Capitalism and Autochthony: The Seesaw of Mobility and Belonging, published in Public Culture (Vol. 12, Issue 2, 2000), examines the paradoxical relationship between globalization and the intensification of local identities in Africa. The authors argue that while democratization and liberalization promote mobility and openness, they simultaneously trigger a resurgence of autochthony—the idea that true belonging is rooted in ancestral land and lineage. This concept often manifests in exclusionary practices, where individuals or groups are deemed “outsiders” based on their origins, even if they have lived in a region for generations. The paper explores how these dynamics contribute to the politics of belonging and the challenges of citizenship in postcolonial African societies.”

Hagmann, Tobias, Filip Reyntjens, and publisher Nordiska Afrikainstitutet. Aid and Authoritarianism in Africa : Development without Democracy. Edited by Tobias Hagmann and Filip Reyntjens. London, England: Zed Books, 2021. doi:10.5040/9781350218369.

AI Summary: Aid and Authoritarianism in Africa: Development without Democracy explores how foreign aid from Western donors often sustains authoritarian regimes in Africa rather than promoting democratic governance. Through case studies of countries like Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda, Cameroon, Mozambique, and Angola, the book reveals how aid policies are shaped by strategic interests, enabling autocratic governments to maintain power while sidelining democratic reforms. The contributors argue that this dynamic raises urgent ethical and political questions about the true impact of development assistance on governance and citizen agency across the continent.

AI Summary: Miaad Hassan’s article explores how secular authoritarian regimes in the Middle East and North Africa have historically suppressed Islamist movements, yet inadvertently fueled their rise by ignoring deep-rooted social cleavages. Focusing on Turkey’s evolving party system, Hassan argues that political Islam gained traction as a response to exclusionary secular nationalism, reshaping the region’s ideological landscape through identity-based mobilization.

AI Summary: Maria Holt examines how Arab women’s activism—particularly during and after the Arab Spring—has challenged entrenched authoritarian structures by asserting feminist agency in public spaces. Drawing on women’s own voices, Holt argues that many activists were compelled to become feminists as a response to patriarchal repression, even as authoritarian regimes and societal norms sought to suppress their efforts. The study highlights the tension between emancipatory grassroots movements and the reassertion of authoritarian control, questioning whether feminist activism can truly transform political landscapes dominated by reactionary power.

AI Summary: Johansson-Nogués and Rivera-Escartin investigate the resurgence of authoritarianism in Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia following the initial democratic openings of the Arab Spring. The authors argue that regimes in these countries have adapted by deploying hybrid governance models, co-opting opposition forces, and leveraging security apparatuses to suppress dissent while maintaining a veneer of democratic legitimacy. This reemergence of authoritarianism is framed as a strategic recalibration rather than a reversal, revealing how autocratic resilience is embedded in institutional manipulation and regional political dynamics.

King, Stephen J. The New Authoritarianism in the Middle East and North Africa. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2009.

AI Summary: Stephen J. King’s The New Authoritarianism in the Middle East and North Africa analyzes why democratization efforts have largely failed in countries like Egypt, Tunisia, Syria, and Algeria, despite global trends toward political liberalization. He argues that authoritarian regimes in the region have adapted through shifting coalitions, economic reforms, and institutional transformations that reinforce their resilience. By moving beyond cultural explanations, King offers a structural and political economy approach to understanding the persistence and evolution of authoritarian rule.

Lemke, Jeslyn. “Digital Platforms and Civil War: How Cote d’Ivoire’s Press Informs a New Model of African Journalistic Practices in Authoritarian Regimes.” International Journal of Communication (Online) 17 (2023): 4521.

AI Summary: Jeslyn Lemke’s article examines how journalists in Côte d’Ivoire adapted to authoritarian repression and civil war by shifting from physical newsrooms to digital platforms during the 2010–2011 electoral crisis. Faced with violence and political polarization, reporters used remote reporting and online media to navigate censorship, partisan pressures, and threats to personal safety. The study proposes a new model of African journalism under authoritarian regimes, where digital tools enable both survival and resistance amid state control and communal conflict.

Lorch, Jasmin, and Bettina Bunk. “Gender Politics, Authoritarian Regime Resilience, and the Role of Civil Society in Algeria and Mozambique.” GIGA Working Papers no. 292 (2016): 1-40. Accessed June 26, 2025, https://www.giga-hamburg.de/en/publications/giga-working-papers/gender-politics-authoritarian-regime-resilience-role-civil-society-algeria-mozambique.

AI Summary: This paper examines how authoritarian regimes in Algeria and Mozambique use gender politics to maintain power, focusing on three strategies.The study highlights the instrumentalization of gender politics as a tool for authoritarian resilience, suggesting broader implications for understanding similar patterns in other non-democratic regimes.

Maringira, Godfrey, and Simbarashe Gukurume. “Youth Politics of Engagement and Resistance: Agency on Social Media Spaces in Contexts of Crisis.” Journal of Asian and African Studies (Leiden) 60, no. 4 (2025): 2120–34. doi:10.1177/00219096231207883.

AI Summary: Maringira and Gukurume explore how youth in crisis-ridden African contexts—particularly Zimbabwe—use social media platforms as politicized spaces to challenge authoritarian regimes. The authors argue that these digital arenas empower young people to resist state repression, demand accountability, and expose political violence, often beyond the reach of traditional surveillance and censorship. By framing social media as a disruptive force against authoritarian control, the study highlights youth agency as a critical factor in reshaping political engagement and contesting autocratic power.

AI Summary: In this article, the authors analyze how historical legacies, military interference, and flawed electoral systems have undermined democratic governance in both countries. The authors argue that authoritarianism manifests through corruption, constitutional crises, and repression of civil liberties, often masked by legal frameworks and sovereignty claims that entrench elite power. By comparing these postcolonial states, the study highlights how authoritarian actors exploit institutional weaknesses and societal divisions to erode democratic norms and legitimacy.

Mjadu, Lubabalo. “The Role of Law in Resisting Authoritarianism: Lessons from South Africa’s Post-Apartheid Judiciary.” E-Journal of Humanities, Art and Social Sciences 6, no. 6 (2025): 843–52. doi:10.38159/ehass.20256614.

AI Summary: Lubabalo Mjadu’s article explores how South Africa’s post-apartheid Constitutional Court has served as a critical bulwark against authoritarianism, upholding democratic principles despite intense political pressure. Through landmark cases and comparative analysis, the study shows how judicial independence—anchored in constitutional law—can resist executive overreach and safeguard human rights in fragile democracies. Mjadu emphasizes that strengthening legal institutions and public awareness is essential to counter populist threats and preserve democratic integrity across Africa.

Moon, Ruth. Authoritarian Journalism: Controlling the News in Post-Conflict Rwanda. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2023.

AI Summary: Ruth Moon’s Authoritarian Journalism investigates how journalism in post-conflict Rwanda is shaped by authoritarian governance, historical trauma, and global development pressures. Drawing on seven months of ethnographic fieldwork, Moon argues that Rwandan journalists operate within a “weak field” marked by ambiguous political boundaries, economic precarity, and internalized myths that limit autonomy and critical reporting. The book reveals how journalists navigate these constraints with strategic agency, while also showing that global journalism norms often reinforce—rather than challenge—local authoritarian practices.

Mosime, Sethunya Tshepho. “Media Control, Colonialism and the Making of an Authoritarian Postcolonial African State: The Case of Botswana.” African Journalism Studies 36, no. 2 (2015): 45–58. doi:10.1080/23743670.2015.1043691.

AI Summary: Sethunya Tshepho Mosime’s article argues that Botswana’s postcolonial authoritarianism is rooted in colonial-era media control, particularly British efforts to suppress nationalist movements through state-owned broadcasting. Despite Botswana’s reputation as a stable democracy, the study reveals how the ruling party has maintained a monopoly over public communication channels—including Radio Botswana and Botswana Television—to stifle dissent and manufacture consent. Mosime contends that this enduring media control reflects a deeper fragility in postcolonial nation-building, where authoritarian governance is masked by democratic institutions and cultural homogeneity.

Munyangeyo, Théophile. “The Representation of Cunning Strategies to Maximise the Political Personalisation: Machiavellian Approach to Holding and Retaining Power in Africa.” Global Journal of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences 13, no. 3 (2025): 27–55. doi:10.37745/gjahss.2013/vol13n32755.

AI Summary: Théophile Munyangeyo’s article explores how Machiavellian strategies are deployed by authoritarian leaders in Francophone Africa to consolidate and personalize political power. Through literary analysis of Alimou Sinta’s novel Le sang pour l’alternance, the study reveals how rhetoric, deception, and performative governance are used to manipulate public perception and suppress dissent. Munyangeyo argues that authoritarian resilience is reinforced by strategic discourse, which legitimizes flawed elections, co-opts opposition, and constructs official truths that shield regimes from democratic scrutiny.

Nyamnjoh, Francis B. Insiders and outsiders: Citizenship and xenophobia in contemporary Southern Africa. Zed Books, 2006.

AI Summary: “Francis B. Nyamnjoh’s Insiders and Outsiders: Citizenship and Xenophobia in Contemporary Southern Africa (2006) offers a critical examination of how globalization and national identity intersect in Southern Africa, particularly in South Africa and Botswana. Drawing on ethnographic research, Nyamnjoh explores the lived experiences of immigrants and marginalized groups, highlighting how citizenship and belonging are contested and constructed in these societies. He argues that globalization, while promoting mobility, also exacerbates exclusion and xenophobia, leading to a redefinition of who is considered an ‘insider’ and who is an ‘outsider.’”

Nyamnjoh, Francis B. Africa’s media, democracy and the politics of belonging. Zed Books, 2005.

AI Summary: “Francis B. Nyamnjoh’s Africa’s Media, Democracy and the Politics of Belonging (2005) offers a critical analysis of the role of mass media in promoting democracy and empowering civil society in Africa. Through a detailed case study of Cameroon, Nyamnjoh examines the challenges faced by African media workers, the evolution of media ownership and state control, and the ethical and professional dilemmas within the media landscape. He critiques the Western-derived institutional framework for multi-party democracy, arguing that it overlooks the social realities of African citizens’ multiple identities and their cultural orientation to communal values. Nyamnjoh concludes that while African governments have made limited progress in encouraging independent media, the media themselves must also share some of the blame.”

Ndjio, Basile. “Rhizomic Authoritarianism: Power, Biopolitics and Transnational Authoritarian Practices in Cameroon.” Globalizations 21, no. 6 (2024): 1125–42.

AI Summary: Basile Ndjio’s article introduces the concept of “rhizomic authoritarianism” to describe the diffuse, networked nature of authoritarian power in Cameroon, which operates through overlapping state and non-state actors. Drawing on Deleuze and Guattari’s theory of the rhizome, Ndjio argues that Cameroonian authoritarianism is not centralized but rather embedded in everyday practices, biopolitical control, and transnational networks. The study reveals how this decentralized form of rule enables the regime to maintain dominance while adapting to global pressures and circumventing traditional accountability mechanisms.

Spearin, Christopher. “Russia’s Wagner Group and the Sustainment of Authoritarianism in Africa: Implications for China at Home and Abroad.” Contemporary Security Policy 46, no. 3 (2025): 497–521. doi:10.1080/13523260.2025.2474763.

AI Summary: Christopher Spearin’s article explores how Russia’s Wagner Group, a paramilitary organization closely tied to the Kremlin, reinforces authoritarian regimes in Africa by providing military support, regime protection, and resource exploitation services. Wagner’s operations in countries like Mali and the Central African Republic enable autocratic leaders to suppress dissent and maintain power while bypassing democratic accountability. Spearin also highlights how Wagner’s model of authoritarian sustainment presents strategic implications for China, both in terms of its domestic governance and its expanding influence abroad.

AI Summary: This edited volume examines how authoritarian regimes in the Middle East and North Africa have adapted and evolved since the Arab Spring, deploying new tools of repression alongside traditional methods. Through case studies from 16 countries, contributors highlight practices such as digital surveillance, protest policing, and legal manipulation to suppress dissent and maintain control. By focusing on micro-level tactics, the book situates regional authoritarianism within broader global trends, challenging assumptions of exceptionalism.

South Asia:

Banaji, Shakuntala. 2018. “Vigilante Publics: Orientalism, Modernity and Hindutva Fascism in India.” Javnost – The Public 25 (4): 333–50. https://doi.org/10.1080/13183222.2018.1463349.

AI Summary: Shakuntala Banaji’s article, “Vigilante Publics: Orientalism, Modernity and Hindutva Fascism in India,” published in Javnost – The Public (2018), examines how Hindutva ideology leverages digital media and orientalist narratives to legitimize authoritarianism and violence in India. Banaji critiques the appropriation of Enlightenment ideals—such as democracy and technological progress—by Hindu nationalist forces, who use platforms like WhatsApp and state institutions to propagate a sanitized image of modernity while enabling casteist and communal violence. The article highlights how audiovisual media are employed to rewrite history and common sense, appealing to both domestic audiences and international neoliberal sensibilities. Banaji argues that this media-driven “vigilante citizenship” fosters a public sphere where dissent is framed as unpatriotic, and violence against minorities is rationalized as national defense. She also critiques Western complicity in this process, noting how global powers and corporations overlook these dynamics in favor of market access and geopolitical alliances.

Bhat, Prashanth, and Kalyani Chadha. “Anti-Media Populism: Expressions of Media Distrust by Right-Wing Media in India.” Journal of International and Intercultural Communication 13, no. 2 (2020): 166-182. https://doi.org/10.1080/17513057.2020.1739320

AI Summary: “Bhat and Chadha analyze content from OpIndia, a prominent right-wing news website in India, to understand how it contributes to anti-media populism. The article outlines several strategies employed by OpIndia to delegitimize mainstream media. The study positions these tactics within the broader context of global anti-media populism, drawing parallels with similar movements in Western democracies. It also highlights the challenges faced by journalists in India, including self-censorship and threats, as a result of this hostile media environment.”

Dean, Karin. 2017. “Myanmar: Surveillance and the Turn from Authoritarianism?” Surveillance & Society 15 (3/4): 496–505. https://doi.org/10.24908/ss.v15i3/4.6648.

AI Summary: Karin Dean’s article, “Myanmar: Surveillance and the Turn from Authoritarianism?” published in Surveillance & Society (2017), critically examines Myanmar’s political transition post-2011, highlighting the enduring influence of the military despite the adoption of a new constitution and competitive elections. Dean argues that the 2008 constitution institutionalizes a unique power-sharing arrangement, allowing the military to maintain significant control over key aspects of governance. The article emphasizes that, contrary to expectations of democratic reform, the state’s coercive apparatus, including surveillance mechanisms, remains robust. The proliferation of mobile communication devices and social media has expanded the state’s capacity for monitoring, while legal frameworks to regulate surveillance practices are lacking. Dean concludes that Myanmar’s transition has not entailed a substantive reduction in authoritarian practices, particularly concerning surveillance and coercion.

Jain, Kalpana. 2019. “Cow Vigilantes and the Rise of Hindu Nationalism.” Kennedy School Review 19:37–42.

AI Summary: The article titled “Cow Vigilantes and the Rise of Hindu Nationalism” examines the emergence and activities of cow protection groups in India, contextualizing them within the broader framework of Hindu nationalist ideology. It explores how these vigilante groups have gained prominence and political legitimacy, particularly under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, by leveraging religious sentiments and nationalist narratives. The study delves into the socio-political dynamics that have facilitated the rise of such groups, including the use of social media for mobilization and propaganda. It also addresses the implications of cow vigilantism on communal relations, law enforcement, and minority rights in India. Through a critical analysis, the article sheds light on the intersection of religion, politics, and violence in contemporary Indian society.

Govil, Nitin, and Anirban Kapil Baishya. 2018. “The Bully in the Pulpit: Autocracy, Digital Social Media, and Right-Wing Populist Technoculture.” Communication, Culture and Critique 11 (1): 67–84. https://doi.org/10.1093/ccc/tcx001.

AI Summary: “This article explores how right-wing populist leaders use digital social media as platforms to amplify autocratic tendencies. Govil and Baishya analyze the interplay of bullying rhetoric, performative aggression, and technocultural strategies that reshape political communication, enabling populist leaders to consolidate power and mobilize supporters through online spaces.

Rai, Swapnil. ““May the force be with you”: Narendra Modi and the celebritization of Indian politics.” Communication, Culture & Critique 12, no. 3 (2019): 323-339.

AI Summary: “Rai examines how Narendra Modi’s political image has been shaped and amplified through celebrity culture. The article analyzes Modi’s use of media, symbolism, and charismatic appeals to cultivate a persona that blends political authority with popular celebrity status, impacting political engagement and voter behavior in India.”

Rai, Swapnil. “Between the divine and digital: Parsing Modi’s charismatic avatar.” Media, Culture & Society 46, no. 4 (2024): 834-850.

AI Summary: “This article further investigates Modi’s charismatic appeal, focusing on the fusion of religious symbolism and digital media in constructing his public persona. Rai discusses how Modi’s image negotiates between spiritual authority and contemporary media logics to maintain political influence.”

Rai, Swapnil, and Brandy Monk-Payton. “In Focus Introduction: The Celebritization of Politics in Global Media Culture.” JCMS: Journal of Cinema and Media Studies 63, no. 2 (2024): 144-148.

AI Summary: “This introduction outlines the growing trend of politics intersecting with celebrity culture globally. Rai and Monk-Payton frame the collection’s focus on how political figures employ media strategies typical of entertainment celebrities to shape public perception, engagement, and power dynamics in contemporary media environments.

Wagner, Ben. 2018. “Authoritarian Practices in the Digital Age| Understanding Internet Shutdowns: A Case Study from Pakistan.” International Journal of Communication 12(2018), 3917–3938

AI Summary: Ben Wagner’s article, “Understanding Internet Shutdowns: A Case Study from Pakistan,” published in the International Journal of Communication (2018), investigates the normalization of internet shutdowns in Pakistan, documenting 41 instances between 2012 and 2017. Wagner introduces the concept of “communicative ruptures” to describe the societal impact of deliberate government-imposed disconnections. He distinguishes between short-term shutdowns, often employed to preempt mobilization during events like religious holidays or political protests, and long-term shutdowns used as disciplinary measures in regions such as Balochistan. The study reveals a bureaucratic process involving the National Counter Terrorism Authority and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, which enforces shutdowns under the 1996 Telecommunications Act, leaving little room for public accountability or legal recourse. Wagner argues that these shutdowns, while framed as security measures, function as tools of authoritarian control, disrupting civic life and suppressing dissent. He emphasizes the need for further research into the political dynamics of such practices to understand and challenge the mechanisms of digital repression.

East Asia and China:

Chen, Ge. Copyright and International Negotiations: An Engine of Free Expression in China?. Cambridge University Press, 2017.

AI Summary: “Chen investigates how China’s approach to copyright law intersects with free expression, analyzing whether copyright enforcement promotes or constrains speech within the Chinese political-legal context.”

Chen, Ge. “How China Squelches Free Speech Beyond Its Borders.” Journal of International Media & Entertainment Law 11, no. 1 (2025-2026): forthcoming.

AI Summary: “This forthcoming article explores China’s extraterritorial efforts to limit free speech internationally, including censorship pressures on foreign media, publishers, and digital platforms.”

Chen, Ge. “The ‘Constitutional’ Rise of Chinese Speech Imperialism.” Journal of Free Speech Law 2, no. 2 (2023): 483–572.

AI Summary: “Chen critiques the growing influence of China’s model of speech regulation, which frames censorship and control as constitutional prerogatives, and discusses the implications of this “speech imperialism” for global norms.”

Chen, Ge. “How Equalitarian Regulation of Online Hate Speech Turns Authoritarian: A Chinese Perspective.” Journal of Media Law 14, no. 1 (2022): 159–179. https://doi.org/10.1080/17577632.2022.2085013.

AI Summary: “Examines how policies aimed at regulating hate speech in China mask authoritarian control mechanisms, showing how equalitarian rhetoric serves state censorship and surveillance goals.”

Chen, Ge. “Piercing the Veil of State Sovereignty: How China’s Censorship Regime into Fragmented International Law Can Lead to a Butterfly Effect.” Global Constitutionalism 3, no. 1 (2014): 31–70. https://doi.org/10.1017/s2045381713000282.

AI Summary: “Analyzes how China’s censorship regime, when projected into fragmented international law, can create complex ripple effects (“butterfly effects”) that challenge traditional understandings of state sovereignty and legal jurisdiction.”

Chen, Jidong, Jennifer Pan and Yiqing Xu. 2016. “Sources of authoritarian responsiveness: A field experiment in China.” American Journal of Political Science 60(2):383– 400. Chen, Xi. 2012. Social protest and contentious authoritarianism in China. Cambridge University Press

AI Summary: “Empirical study showing how local officials in China selectively respond to citizen petitions, highlighting strategic governance aimed at maintaining regime stability through limited responsiveness.”

Gueorguiev, Dimitar. 2021. Retrofitting Leninism: Participation Without Democracy in China. Oxford University Press.

AI Summary: “Analyzes China’s political system as one that adapts Leninist governance by permitting limited participation and controlled responsiveness while rejecting democratic reforms.”

Tongtong Zhang, “Authoritarian Responsiveness for Conformity Cultivation.” Working Paper (URL: https://www.tongtongzhang.com/uploads/1/2/1/7/121760654/selective_response.pdf).

AI Summary: “Explores how authoritarian regimes, including China’s, use responsiveness not to empower citizens but to cultivate conformity and regime loyalty.”

Truex, Rory. 2016. Making autocracy work: Representation and responsiveness in modern China. Cambridge University Press.

AI Summary: “Argues that autocratic regimes like China’s maintain power by offering selective representation and responsiveness to citizens, balancing control and public satisfaction.”

Wallace, Jeremy. 2014. Cities and Stability: Urbanization, Redistribution, and Authoritarian Resilience in China. Oxford University Press

AI Summary: “Examines how urbanization and redistribution policies contribute to authoritarian stability in China by addressing social demands and managing potential unrest.”

Zhang, Zhong. “Adaption to authoritarianism: a longitudinal analysis of Dialogue Earth’s nonprofit environmental news in China.” Chinese Journal of Communication (2024): 1-18.

AI Summary: “Studies how nonprofit environmental media adapt to operate within China’s authoritarian media environment, negotiating censorship while trying to maintain influence.”

Repnikova, Maria. Media Politics in China: Improvising Power under Authoritarianism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2017.

AI Summary: Draws on interviews with Chinese journalists to show how informal negotiations and backstage strategies allow limited press autonomy while upholding the Communist Party’s overarching censorial regime.

Zhao, Yuezhi. Communication in China: Political Economy, Power, and Conflict. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2008.

AI Summary: Offers a foundational political-economic analysis of Chinese media, tracing how state ownership and market reforms interact to produce a hybrid authoritarian control over communication.

Latin America:

Acebal, Luis Yaim Martínez. “Redes Sociales y Comunicación de Crisis en el Autoritarismo Cubano: Un Análisis de Contenido a los Tuits del Presidente Cubano.” Signo y Pensamiento 44 (2025): 1-21. doi:10.11144/Javeriana.syp44.rscc.

AI Summary: Luis Yaim Martínez Acebal’s article analyzes how Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel uses Twitter during moments of crisis to manage public perception and reinforce authoritarian control. Through content analysis, the study reveals that Díaz-Canel avoids explicit terms like “crisis” or “risk,” instead employing euphemisms and strategic messaging to project stability and mobilize citizen cooperation. The research highlights how digital platforms in authoritarian regimes serve dual roles—as tools of state narrative control and as contested spaces where citizens challenge official discourse.

Albertus, Michael, Alberto Diaz-Cayeros, Beatriz Magaloni, and Barry R. Weingast. “Authoritarian Survival and Poverty Traps: Land Reform in Mexico.” World Development 77(2016): 154-170.

AI Summary: Michael Albertus and his co-authors analyze how Mexico’s land reform under the PRI regime was designed not to promote economic development, but to ensure authoritarian survival through political clientelism. By distributing communal land with restrictive property rights—especially during election years and in areas prone to unrest—the PRI cultivated loyal rural constituencies while limiting peasants’ economic autonomy. Although land reform temporarily boosted growth, the long-term effects were economically damaging, creating poverty traps that reinforced dependence on the regime.

Andrade, Daniela, and Sergio Coronado. “Introduction: Authoritarian Populism and the Rural World: Insights from Latin America and the Caribbean.” Latin American Perspectives 51, no. 6 (2024): 3–7. doi:10.1177/0094582X241297952.

AI Summary: Andrade and Coronado’s introduction frames authoritarian populism in Latin America and the Caribbean as a political strategy that exploits rural discontent, inequality, and exclusion to consolidate power. They argue that rural areas—often neglected by state institutions—become fertile ground for populist leaders who promise order and progress while undermining democratic norms. The article calls for deeper analysis of how agrarian transformations and extractivist policies contribute to authoritarian resurgence, and how rural resistance movements can challenge these dynamics.

Aparicio, Juan Ricardo. 2021. “Subjectivities and the Right-Wing in Latin America: Mapping out What’s out There.” Cultural Studies 35 (6): 1021–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/09502386.2021.1902543.

AI Summary: Juan Ricardo Aparicio explores the complexities of analyzing right-wing movements in Latin America and the Caribbean through a cultural studies lens. He emphasizes the importance of understanding these movements within their specific historical and regional contexts, rather than applying generalized frameworks. The issue includes articles that examine various facets of right-wing dynamics, such as the rise of evangelical churches in the Southern Cone, the role of gendered surveillance, critiques of peace negotiations in Colombia, and the institutionalization of cultural studies programs. Aparicio advocates for a materialist and context-sensitive approach to better comprehend the trajectories and subjectivities associated with right-wing politics in the region.

Barberia, Lorena G, Kelly Senters Piazza, and George Avelino Filho. “The Cycle Continues: An Assessment of Democratic Transitions in Latin America with New Data and Indicators.” Journal of Politics in Latin America, 2025. doi:10.1177/1866802X241306119.

AI Summary: In this article, the authors introduce the Democracy-Dictatorship Reprise for Latin America (DDRLA) dataset to reassess democratic transitions and reversions in the region. Their findings reveal a notable wave of authoritarian resurgence over the past two decades, driven not by military coups but by elected presidents who manipulated constitutional rules to extend their tenure. The study underscores how electoral authoritarianism—where democratic procedures are subverted from within—poses a growing threat to democratic consolidation in Latin America.

Barbosa dos Santos, Fabio Luis. “Sandinismo Perverted: Nicaragua Between Progressivism and Authoritarianism.” Third World Quarterly, 2025, 1–19. doi:10.1080/01436597.2025.2499089.

AI Summary: Fabio Luis Barbosa dos Santos’s article critically examines how

Nicaragua’s Sandinista legacy has been transformed into a vehicle for authoritarian governance under President Daniel Ortega. While originally rooted in anti-imperialist and progressive ideals, Sandinismo has been reconfigured to justify repression, electoral manipulation, and the concentration of power, blurring the lines between populism and autocracy. The study argues that this ideological perversion enables the regime to maintain legitimacy while systematically dismantling democratic institutions and silencing dissent.

Cujaban, Daniel, and Antonio Di Stasio. “Crisis de La Democracia Representativa En Latinoamérica: Entre Autoritarismos y Movimientos Instituyentes Democráticos.” Nuovi Autoritarismi e Democrazie : Diritto, Instituzioni, Società : NAD 7, no. 1 (2025). doi:10.54103/2612-6672/29007.

AI Summary: Daniel Cujaban and Antonio Di Stasio’s article explores the crisis of representative democracy in Latin America, linking it to the rise of both left-wing and right-wing authoritarian populism that undermines democratic institutions through market subordination and state sovereignty claims. The authors argue that these authoritarian tendencies reproduce patterns of de-democratization, especially in the face of global challenges like neoliberalism and what Adam Tooze calls the “polycrisis”—a convergence of climate, geopolitical, and economic crises. In contrast, the article highlights how grassroots democratic movements in countries like Chile, Colombia, and Argentina offer alternative forms of political engagement that resist authoritarianism and transcend traditional legal and state frameworks.

Daniel C Hallin, Metaphors of Journalism, Post-authoritarianism, and the Captured Liberal System: New Scholarship from Latin America, Journal of Communication 74, no. 3 (June 2024): 269–272. https://doi.org/10.1093/joc/jqae017

AI Summary: Daniel C. Hallin’s article reflects on the evolution of Latin American media scholarship, noting a shift from reliance on Western theories to the emergence of distinctive regional perspectives. He highlights recent works that explore the concept of the “captured liberal system,” where commercial media operate under democratic facades but remain deeply entangled with political and economic elites.

Davide Ragno, Francesco, and Fulvia Zega. “Understanding Violence, Memory, and Resistance in Latin America.” Confluenze 17, no. 1 (2025): 1–6. doi:10.6092/issn.2036-0967/22250.

AI Summary: Francesco Davide Ragno and Fulvia Zega’s article explores how authoritarian regimes in Latin America have weaponized violence—both physical and symbolic—to suppress dissent and shape national narratives from the mid-20th century to the present. The authors argue that this violence is not only a tool of repression but also a mechanism for legitimizing autocratic rule and delegitimizing opposition, often through the manipulation of historical memory and cultural institutions. At the same time, the study highlights how grassroots resistance, transitional justice efforts, and memory activism challenge authoritarian legacies and offer pathways toward democratic renewal.

Douvan, Alexandre, and Felipe Simão Pontes. “Media and Democracy: How Communication Policies in Seven Countries Protect the System From Authoritarianism.” Journal of Latin American Communication Research 13, no. 1 (2025): 55–81. doi:10.55738/journal.v13i1p.55-81.

AI Summary: Alexandre Douvan and Felipe Simão Pontes analyze how public communication policies in seven countries—Brazil, South Africa, Argentina, Australia, Japan, Mexico, and Portugal—serve as democratic safeguards against authoritarianism by regulating media ownership, broadcasting concessions, and political influence. The article highlights how legal frameworks combat monopolies and political-economic parallelism, which are often exploited by authoritarian regimes to control narratives and suppress dissent. By comparing these diverse national approaches, the authors underscore the critical role of media policy in fortifying democratic institutions and resisting authoritarian encroachment.

Elías, María Belén, and Alexander Benites. “La Relación Entre El Apoyo a La Democracia y Las Preferencias Hacia El Ejercicio Iliberal y Autoritario Del Poder Político En Perú (2023).” Elecciones 23, no. 28 (2024): 179–222. doi:10.53557/Elecciones.2024.v23n28.06.

AI Summary: This study by María Belén Elías and Alexander Benites analyzes how Peruvians’ support for democracy interacts with their preferences for illiberal and authoritarian political actions, using data from the 2023 AmericasBarometer survey. It finds that citizens who favor illiberal measures—such as “iron-fist” policies or limiting opposition rights—are paradoxically more likely to support democracy, while those who endorse authoritarian actions like military interventions or coups are significantly less likely to do so. The article highlights the complex and contradictory nature of democratic attitudes in Peru, where democratic support can coexist with authoritarian leanings, posing challenges for democratic consolidation.

Ezquerro-Cañete, Arturo. “A Transition in Search of Democracy: Democratic Stagnation and Resurgent Authoritarianism in Paraguay.” Latin American Perspectives 52, no. 3 (2025): 6–24. doi:10.1177/0094582X251337695.

AI Summary: Arturo Ezquerro-Cañete examines Paraguay’s protracted democratization following the fall of Alfredo Stroessner’s dictatorship, revealing how formal reforms failed to dismantle entrenched authoritarian legacies. Despite the adoption of democratic institutions, the Colorado Party’s uninterrupted dominance, elite rule, and clientelist governance have perpetuated authoritarian practices under a democratic façade. The study highlights how Cartismo, state capture by economic elites, and agro-extractivism reinforce autocratic control, while grassroots struggles for land and democracy expose the structural barriers to genuine democratic consolidation.

Ferreira da Costa, Bruno. “Between Populism and Authoritarianism – The Vertex of the Southern Hemisphere.” Cadernos de Estudos Africanos, no. 47 (2025): 145–63. doi:10.15847/cea47.41477.

AI Summary: Bruno Ferreira da Costa’s article explores the intertwined rise of populism and authoritarianism in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly in Africa and Latin America, as a response to democratic stagnation and global crises. He argues that charismatic leaders and populist movements exploit citizen grievances—often amplified by economic inequality and media manipulation—to consolidate power and erode democratic norms. By analyzing governance models and political systems, the study reveals how authoritarian regimes adapt populist rhetoric to legitimize control, resist democratization, and reshape international political dynamics.

Fox, Elizabeth. Media and Politics in Latin America: The Struggle for Democracy. London ; Sage Publications, 1988.

AI Summary: In this book, Elizabeth Fox examines how mass media have both challenged and enabled authoritarian regimes across Latin America during the twentieth century. Through country-specific case studies—from Chile and Argentina to El Salvador and Brazil—the book reveals how censorship, state control, and transnational media ownership were used to suppress dissent and manipulate public opinion under authoritarian rule. Fox argues that democratizing media systems is essential for political transformation, but warns that authoritarian legacies in media policy continue to hinder democratic participation and equity.

Hatcher, Rachel. “From Aldana to Zamora and Everyone In-Between: Exploring the Guatemalan Far Right’s Social Media Campaigns against Non-Allies.” Journal of Politics in Latin America, 2025. doi:10.1177/1866802X241312234.

AI Summary: Rachel Hatcher’s article investigates how Guatemala’s far-right Foundation Against Terrorism, led by Ricardo Méndez Ruiz, has used social media campaigns and lawfare to target human rights defenders, journalists, and anti-corruption actors from 2014 to 2023. These efforts—framed as defending national sovereignty—have contributed to democratic backsliding by forcing opponents into exile and undermining judicial independence. The study highlights how non-state actors can deepen authoritarianism by manipulating digital platforms and legal systems to silence dissent and reshape public discourse.

Mainwaring, Scott. “The Third Wave’s Lessons for Democracy.” Journal of Democracy 36, no. 2 (2025): 144–58. doi:10.1353/jod.2025.a954570.

AI Summary: Scott Mainwaring’s article reflects on Latin America’s experience with the Third Wave of democratization, identifying five key lessons that illuminate both the resilience and vulnerability of democratic systems. He argues that while democracies can survive under adverse conditions, they often stagnate—neither deepening nor collapsing—allowing authoritarian actors to retain or regain influence even within democratic frameworks. Crucially, Mainwaring warns that new authoritarian forces can emerge under democratic regimes, exploiting institutional weaknesses and public disillusionment to erode democratic norms from within.

Monetti, Luiza. “Beyond Order and Progress: Legitimacy and Nation-Building in Military Brazil.” Comparative Studies in Society and History 67, no. 1 (2025): 169–96. doi:10.1017/S0010417524000288.

AI Summary: Luiza Monetti examines how Brazil’s military dictatorship (1964–1985) used propaganda and discursive strategies to legitimize its authoritarian rule and construct a new national identity. Through ethnographic content analysis of archival materials, Monetti identifies three key frames—“defenders of democracy,” “Great Brazil,” and “model citizenship”—that masked repression and projected a democratic façade while indoctrinating citizens with regime-approved norms. The study reveals how authoritarian regimes manufacture legitimacy through discourse, shaping sociopolitical subjectivities that can endure long after the regime itself has fallen.

Munita-Morgan, Roberto, Patricio Navia, and Caterina Bo Guzmán. “Do Sympathisers of Far-Right Parties Support Military Governments and Hold Authoritarian Values? The Case of Chile’s Republicanos Party.” Journal of Politics in Latin America, 2025. doi:10.1177/1866802X251344314.

AI Summary: Munita-Morgan, Navia, and Guzmán’s study investigates whether supporters of Chile’s far-right Republicanos Party (PRC) endorse authoritarian values and military-style governance, using data from a 2022 national poll. The authors find a positive association between support for military governments and PRC identification, but a negative association with authoritarian government preferences, suggesting PRC sympathizers favor iron-fist policies without rejecting democratic legitimacy. This nuanced distinction reveals how far-right partisanship in Chile reflects authoritarian nostalgia—particularly for Pinochet’s regime—while opposing contemporary left-wing authoritarianism in Latin America.

Palestini, Stefano, Luciano Quispe, and Diego Telias. “Autocracy Promotion in the Americas? Scrutinizing the Effect of China and Russia on Democracy Protection in Venezuela and Nicaragua.” Democratization, 2025, 1–23. doi:10.1080/13510347.2025.2483420.

AI Summary: Stefano Palestini, Luciano Quispe, and Diego Telias examine how China and Russia’s support for Venezuela and Nicaragua has contributed to the persistence of authoritarian regimes despite international efforts to promote democracy. While these powers offer economic and diplomatic backing, the authors argue that they are not deliberate autocracy promoters, and their influence is often overstated compared to the internal weaknesses of democracy protection efforts. The study concludes that fragmented multilateralism and inconsistent policies among democracy promoters—rather than external interference—are the primary obstacles to democratic transitions in these countries.

Passos, Joâo Décio. “A Legitimação Da Morte Nos Regimes Autoritários: A Volta Dos Que Não Foram?” Horizonte (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) 22, no. 68 (2024): 1–26. doi:10.5752/P.2175-5841.2024v22n68e226814.

AI Summary: João Décio Passos’s article explores how authoritarian regimes legitimize death as a political strategy, framing it as a necessary sacrifice for national salvation. Drawing on the concept of necropolitics, Passos argues that ultra-right governments—especially Jair Bolsonaro’s in Brazil—use digital platforms and ideological narratives to normalize violence and divide society into those who deserve to live and those who must be eliminated. The study reveals a disturbing continuity between past and present authoritarianism, where the myth of the savior leader justifies ruptures with democratic norms and institutional life.

Ríos Tobar, Marcela. “Retrocesos democráticos en tiempos de inseguridad e incertidumbre radical.” Revista Latinoamericana sobre Democracia, 2025, 54-73. doi:10.22201/iis.rld.2025.00.7.

AI Summary: Marcela Ríos Tobar’s article analyzes the gradual erosion of democracy in Latin America, emphasizing how authoritarianism resurfaces not through coups but via institutional decay and citizen-supported legal manipulation. Despite advances in electoral participation and representation, democratic norms—such as checks and balances, judicial autonomy, and civil liberties—are being undermined from within, especially amid rising insecurity and violence. The study warns that authoritarian tendencies thrive when weak state institutions and inequality intersect with public fear, making it essential to strengthen democratic resilience and foster collaboration among political and social actors.

Serra, Macià, Daniel Rodríguez Suárez, y Salvador Martí i Puig. “Autocratización a fuego lento: el caso de Nicaragua (2000-2024).” Colombia internacional, n.o 121 (2025): 3-29. doi:10.7440/colombiaint121.2025.01.

AI Summary: Macià Serra, Daniel Rodríguez Suárez, and Salvador Martí i Puig’s article traces Nicaragua’s gradual descent into authoritarianism from 2000 to 2024, using Javier Corrales’s framework of “rising authoritarianism” to dissect the country’s democratic erosion. The authors divide this transformation into four phases: from liberal democracy to hybrid regime, then to authoritarian repression following 2018 protests, and finally to a closed autocracy marked by legalistic repression and state capture. The study presents Nicaragua as a paradigmatic case of slow autocratization, where Daniel Ortega’s regime systematically dismantled democratic institutions through fragmentation of opposition, co-optation of elites, and authoritarian legalism.

Straubhaar, Joseph. “From military prestige to fragmented prestige: Jair Bolsonaro and authoritarian populism in Brazil.” JCMS: Journal of Cinema and Media Studies 63, no. 2 (2024): 176-182.

AI Summary: Joseph Straubhaar’s article explores how Jair Bolsonaro leveraged military prestige and nostalgia for Brazil’s dictatorship to build an authoritarian populist image that resonated with specific segments of society. As Bolsonaro’s political base expanded, he cultivated “fragmented prestige” through targeted media strategies that appealed to evangelical Christians, agribusiness elites, gun advocates, and far-right nationalists—groups often mobilized by resentment and exclusionary rhetoric. The study underscores how Bolsonaro’s media-driven celebrity and populist tactics enabled him to bypass democratic norms and consolidate authoritarian influence within Brazil’s fractured political culture.

Wells, Allen. Latin America’s Democratic Crusade: The Transnational Struggle against Dictatorship, 1920s-1960s. First edition. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2024. doi:10.12987/9780300274653.

AI Summary: Allen Wells’s Latin America’s Democratic Crusade reframes twentieth-century Latin American history as a transnational struggle between democracy and dictatorship, challenging Cold War narratives that reduce the region to ideological proxies. Beginning in the 1920s, reformers—students, intellectuals, and moderate politicians—mobilized across borders to confront authoritarian regimes, often facing violent retaliation and U.S. complicity in propping up autocrats. Wells argues that this decades-long crusade reveals how authoritarianism was not just a domestic phenomenon but a hemispheric threat, resisted through coordinated democratic activism that shaped the region’s political evolution.

Zweig, Noah. “Rethinking the Venezuelan Media Presidency: Populism/Authoritarianism and ‘Spectacular Modernity.’” International Journal of Communication 12 (2018): 3349–67.

AI Summary: Noah Zweig’s article explores how Venezuelan presidents have historically fused populism and authoritarianism through media spectacle, culminating in Hugo Chávez’s “media presidency.” Drawing on the concept of spectacular modernity, Zweig argues that Venezuela’s status as a petrostate enabled leaders to use mass media—TV shows, state broadcasts, and social platforms—to build personality cults and suppress dissent. The study reveals a dialectical tension between populist appeal and authoritarian control, where media becomes both a tool of democratic engagement and a mechanism for autocratic consolidation.

Downloadable Resource

Download