Interdisciplinary research on Global Authorianism, organized by regions

Added Sept. 2026:

Adiguzel, Fatih Serkant. 2026. “Propaganda during Economic Crises: Reference Point Adjustment in Economic News.” Political Communication 43 (1): 149–73. doi:10.1080/10584609.2025.2526387. 

• Abstract: In the era of democratic backsliding, information management and manipulation have become a central feature of electoral autocracies. Despite many electoral autocracies experiencing deep economic crises, the incumbents were able to hold onto power. This resiliency is puzzling due to the widespread notion of economic crises leading to regime collapse. In this paper, I introduce an understudied information management strategy, which I call reference point adjustment, employed by pro-government media during economic crises. I argue that government-controlled media increases negative reports about foreign economies during domestic economic turmoil to make the local situation seem comparatively better. Leveraging unique media data from Turkey – spanning 700,000 articles and 13.3 million unique sentences from two major newspapers and an online outlet over 2.5 years – and using supervised machine learning, I find a sharp rise (48% increase) in coverage of foreign economy news by pro-government outlets during an economic crisis. I also observe a significant increase in negative foreign economy news exposure (83% increase) within pro-government media compared to opposition counterparts during these times. This research aims to deepen our understanding of authoritarian politics and media behavior and sheds further light on the democratically backsliding regimes’ playbook.

 

Al-Zaman, Md. Sayeed. 2025. “Democracy and political stability alone cannot reduce journalist killings without press freedom: A mediation analysis.” Journalism 27 (5). https://doi.org/10.1177/14648849251347300

• Abstract: Journalism has become increasingly dangerous in recent years as anti-press violence has escalated globally, placing journalists in increased peril. The prevalence of journalist killings, the most severe form of physical violence against the press, demands further scholarly attention to address human rights violations and offer new insights for protective interventions. This study uses mediation analysis to examine how a country’s democracy level may indirectly reduce journalist killings through political stability and press freedom. Findings reveal that democracy alone (β = 0.203, p = .017) is associated with a higher likelihood of journalist killings. However, democracy, through increased political stability and enhanced press freedom (β = −0.170, p < .001), indirectly reduces killings. Similarly, increased democracy with enhanced press freedom alone (β = −0.107, p < .001) significantly reduces killings. We emphasize the need for further research on impunity and civil society’s role in protecting journalists. This study addresses methodological and conceptual gaps in previous literature, advocating for press freedom as essential to safeguarding journalists.

 

Anstis, Siena, and Émilie LaFlèche. 2025. “Gender-Based Digital Transnational Repression as a Global Authoritarian Practice.” Globalizations 22 (4): 671–88. doi:10.1080/14747731.2024.2401706. 

• Abstract: Digital transnational repression arises when authoritarian states seek to silence dissent from nationals living abroad. Studies on digital transnational repression show that this extension of authoritarianism has negatively impacted dissidents and activists abroad and transnational political and social advocacy. In this article, we identify gender-based digital transnational repression as a form of what Marlies Glasius terms an ‘authoritarian practice’; this type of repression is used to ‘sabotage accountability’ by weaponizing gender to silence dissent and disabling access to information. We argue that researchers investigating transnational repression should pay greater attention to the gender dimensions of this phenomenon, and its unique and disproportionate impacts on women. As women play a central role in the furtherance of human rights and democracy in authoritarian states, their silencing presents a threat to progress towards state accountability, human rights, and democracy. 

 

Arslanalp, Mert, and T. Deniz Erkmen. 2025. “Resistance under Confinement: Resilience of Protests and Their Limits in Authoritarian Turkey.” Third World Quarterly 46 (2): 170–92. doi:10.1080/01436597.2024.2355163. 

• Abstract: In this paper, we examine the relationship between the process of autocratisation and protests, and argue that scholarship on electoral autocracies should not only focus on major protest cycles but also examine ‘ordinary’ protests to understand how social and political actors resist and push back against autocratisation. Using an original dataset of protest events from 2015 to 2021, we analyse the transformation of protests in Turkey as it experienced gradual but significant autocratisation. We discuss two mechanisms through which autocratisation might affect levels, actors and repertoires of protesting: first, via increasing repression; and, second, via the policy choices of the authoritarian regime. Our findings indicate that protests continued even under the state of emergency in Turkey, but with significant changes in levels and repertoires of protesting. The protest scene was dominated by protests using tactics that rely on a small number of individuals and are contained in their spatial reach and disruptiveness. This research underlines the importance of examining ordinary protests to analyse how autocratisation transforms protests, using original data from local sources. 

 

Barbosa dos Santos, Fabio Luis. 2025. “Sandinismo Perverted: Nicaragua Betweeen Progressivism and Authoritarianism.” Third World Quarterly 46 (11): 1342–60. doi:10.1080/01436597.2025.2499089. 

• Abstract: This article examines the fundamental lines of the Orteguista regime, in power in Nicaragua since 2007, and its evolution, reflecting on new and old forms of authoritarian politics in Latin America. The research is based on primary and secondary sources and on interviews conducted in 2022 and 2023 with Nicaraguans in Costa Rica since, on both occasions, entering Nicaragua was not allowed. Firstly, the article discusses the political economy of Orteguismo, highlighting the role of a Venezuelan oil cooperation, which allowed social programmes to be reconciled with a relationship of co-government with the business community. We then analyse the inflection produced by the popular rebellion in 2018, which was linked to fiscal austerity measures arising from the decline in Venezuelan cooperation. This crisis has intensified authoritarian tendencies that led the regime to close in on itself, breaking off relations with the business community and the Catholic Church. In the last section, the Maduro government in Venezuela and the Bukele government in El Salvador are briefly discussed in light of issues raised throughout the text. Although identified with opposing poles of the political spectrum, these two governments also reveal anti-democratic tendencies, prompting reflections on the forms of authoritarianism and the challenges facing the left in the twenty-first century. 

 

Barjasteh, Amir. 2025. “Policing Repertoire of Knowledge Practices in Neo-Authoritarian Governance: Authority of Sovereignty Cluster of Global Norms, and the Constitution of Legitimizing Narrative for Suppression in Iran’s ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ Uprising.” Democratization 32 (8): 1927–48. doi:10.1080/13510347.2025.2482626. 

• Abstract: How is the suppression of mass protests epistemically conducted in neo-authoritarian governance? Given that legal invocations alone are insufficient to legitimize the brutal suppression of a state’s own citizens’ protests, the article aims to identify the epistemic practices through which neo-authoritarian policing actors manipulate public perceptions of protest situations, thereby seeking to legitimize their suppression. The policing rhetoric of the Iran uprising “Woman, Life, Freedom” in 2022 is selected as an empirical case. The textual data is collected from two influential Iranian state-led news agencies, and analysed quantitatively by corpus linguistic methods and then qualitatively by discourse analysis as elaborated in Epistemic Governance analytic. As the findings revealed, the governing technology works through the strategic invocations of the authority of the “sovereignty cluster of global norms” in the constitution of a legitimizing narrative including four counter-frames, which convert the protesting situation into a security context and bypass the internationally recognized “right to protest.” The set of epistemic practices identified here signals the invention of a “neo-authoritarian policing repertoire of knowledge practices.” Given the states’ privileged position on sovereignty matters, the study warns against the repertoire as it constitutes a condition of epistemic closeness, effectively blocking democratization attempts. 

 

Baro, Elena, and Anders Todal Jenssen. 2025. “Beyond the Cultural Backlash: Exploring Diverse Pathways to Authoritarian Populism in Europe.” Democratization 32 (2): 350–72. doi:10.1080/13510347.2024.2371453. 

• Abstract: This article critically examines the cultural backlash theory proposed by Norris and Inglehart [Cultural Backlash] to explain the rise of authoritarian populism in the US and Europe. While the theory emphasizes the conservative mobilization against progressive values, we argue that the success of authoritarian populism in Europe cannot be attributed solely to a cultural backlash. We contend that different European countries have unique historical contexts and older, unresolved conflicts are pivotal to understand the rise of authoritarian populist parties in the European context. By employing EVS-data from 2017–18, we analyse case studies from Hungary, Italy, Norway, and Poland. Challenging the “one-size-fits-all” approach, our study demonstrates that older cleavages are essential to understand the success of these parties and highlights the need to consider different variables and unresolved conflicts within specific national contexts when explaining the success of authoritarian populism in Europe. 

 

Bashirov, Galib, Shahram Akbarzadeh, Ihsan Yilmaz, and Zahid Shahab Ahmed. 2026. “Diffusion of Digital Authoritarian Practices in China’s Neighbourhood: The Cases of Iran and Pakistan.” Democratization 33 (2): 247–70. doi:10.1080/13510347.2025.2504588. 

• Abstract: This article examines mechanisms for the diffusion of digital authoritarian practices, focusing on China and two of its regional partners in South and West Asia: Iran and Pakistan. We investigate types of digital authoritarian practices, such as legal frameworks, online censorship, and urban surveillance, and how these practices have been adopted. An analytical framework is developed to identify three mechanisms of diffusion: learning, emulation, and cooperative interdependence. Our findings indicate that internally and externally driven learning is the most significant mechanism for the spread of digital authoritarian practices in Iran and Pakistan. Both governments adapted their strategies from their experiences with protest movements in the early 2010s, while China’s promotion of digital authoritarianism facilitated this learning process. Emulation, driven by cultural and political alignment and China’s role as an authoritarian model, has significantly influenced the adoption of legal norms to restrict the internet. Cooperative interdependence, through trade relationships and loan agreements under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), has enabled the transfer of censorship and surveillance technologies to neighbouring countries. 

 

Borges, André, and Lisa Zanotti. 2024. “Authoritarian, But Not Nativist: Classifying Far-Right Parties in Latin America.” 73 (4). https://doi.org/10.1177/00323217241301317

• Abstract: Research on far-right parties has mostly focused on Western Europe, where anti-immigration agendas and related nativist ideas have played a major role in right-wing radicalization. In this article, we analyze the rise of the far right in Latin America, a region where immigration has been much less prominent in public debates. Drawing on the 2020 Chapell Hill Expert Survey, we propose to assess the extent to which Latin American far-right parties fit existing conceptualizations that identify nativism and authoritarianism as the core characteristics of this party family. Given the relative unimportance of nativism as a distinguishing feature of cases of right-wing extremism/radicalism in the region, we propose a more parsimonious conceptualization of the far right. We also develop a typological classification and find that authoritarian-fundamentalist parties that embrace an extreme form of religious conservatism are the most common subtype of far-right party in Latin America. 

 

Burke, Kyle. 2025. “‘A Planet-Wide Race War’: The Global Circulation of White Supremacist Violence in the Late Twentieth Century.” Journal of Right-Wing Studies 3 (2). https://doi.org/10.5070/RW3.43559

• Abstract: This article examines how and why the global white power movement lurched into a string of real and metaphorical wars around the world in the late twentieth century. These campaigns drew heavily on veterans who had fought leftist national liberation movements on an array of battlefields. The detritus of Cold War militarization, many joined or were recruited into white power groups in the United States and Europe. Perceiving white decline on the world stage, they mobilized for combat across a string of battlefields from Rhodesia to Central America, Northern Ireland, and Yugoslavia. Over time, their visions of global race war turned inward as far-right white supremacist groups on both sides of the Atlantic launched attacks against enemies at home, including their own governments. Central to this campaign was the strategy known as “leaderless resistance,” wherein small cells of supposed “lone wolves” launched spectacular assaults in pursuit of revolutionary change. Inspired by leftist national liberation movements and Islamist terrorists, leaderless resistance was first deployed in the United States and quickly spread to Britain, Germany, and elsewhere in the 1980s and 1990s. It’s violence— both actual and imagined—was not simply a recent reaction to neoliberalism, globalization, and international Islamist violence, as many scholars hold, nor was it merely the product of enhanced communication via new social media technologies. Instead, this violence emerged and evolved in an earlier era, dating back to the 1970s, and gained ground through the very same processes that compelled mainstream globalization: transnational flows of capital, people, ideas, and goods. 

 

Çağlar, Barış. 2025. “Ruling through Exception: Lawfare, Securitised Warfare and the Intermestic Logic of Authoritarianism.” Third World Quarterly 46 (17): 2223–43. doi:10.1080/01436597.2025.2559378. 

• Abstract: This article develops an original interdisciplinary framework for analysing authoritarian regimes. It coins, for the first time, the concept of securitised warfare, theorising its conceptual foundations, and it also originates and develops an original theoretical framework synthesising securitisation, authoritarianism and structuration. Securitised warfare – defined here as the outward intermestic manifestation of lawfare – is shown to be mutually constitutive with lawfare, the strategic misuse of the legal system for political gain, with both reinforcing the consolidation of authoritarian rule. Focusing on Turkey (2015–2025), the article illustrates how the regime employed legal repression as a political instrument, particularly in the cases of Selahattin Demirtaş and Ekrem İmamoğlu. Simultaneously, the suppression of Kurdish groups in Syria exemplifies securitised dynamics shaped in conjunction with domestic politics. Using Lijphart’s hypothesis-generation method and within-case process tracing, the study demonstrates how lawfare and securitised warfare function both as Schmittian exceptions and as routinised Giddensian institutional practices. The framework conceptualises the historical transition from national security state to neoliberal security state, culminating in the consolidation of an autocratic regime whose logic exceeds conventional regime security. This transformation is theorised through securitised warfare – explaining how domestic and foreign policy are increasingly governed by a unified logic of authoritarian control. 

 

Casani, Alfonso, Francesco Colin, and Irene Fernández-Molina. 2025. “Foreign Policy and Domestic Opposition Spaces under Authoritarianism: Moroccan Political Reconfigurations in Response to Israel’s Wars on Gaza.” Government and Opposition 60 (4), 1292 – 1312. https://doi.org/10.1017/gov.2025.10022

• Abstract: Moments of heightened violence and war in Palestine have often elicited extraordinary regime and opposition reactions in Arab states, including large-scale popular protests that are otherwise rare in such authoritarian contexts. This article examines how foreign policy influences domestic political opposition under authoritarianism. We approach this relationship combining classical insights from foreign policy analysis (FPA) with our own theorization of opposition as a tri-dimensional political space – as the dynamic product of intersecting institutional, practical and discursive spaces. Empirically, we capture such complexity through an exploratory, in-depth case study focusing on Morocco and, specifically, on the expressions and reconfigurations of its opposition movements in response to Israel’s wars on Gaza (2008–2009 and 2023–2025). Drawing on interviews conducted between 2007 and 2024 as well as official statements and press releases, these two episodes shed light on the consequences of both time-bound foreign policy shocks and more gradual, structural foreign policy transformations. 

 

Chakraborty, Kaustav. 2025. “Bhakti Poetry and Narendra Modi’s Hindu Fascist Pedagogy.” Politics, Religion & Ideology 26 (3): 404–29. doi:10.1080/21567689.2025.2548399. 

• Abstract: The article is an attempt to understand how the bhakti worldview has been politically misused to strengthen a political authoritarian cult of Modi in India. Bhakti has often been described as a love-based philosophy of devotedness, wherein, founded on faith-based loyalty, devotees cling to the personal, preferred deity and, following the footsteps of the mystics, aspire for complete self-forgetfulness while granting totalitarian power to the deity whom they treat as a guru-god. This article, through a critical textual analysis of the bhakti verses and songs composed by the bhakti poets, tries to expose the ways of misappropriation that the Hindu fascist Modi-cult has accomplished by politically coopting the transcendental bhakti renditions of the mystic poets. The calculated transmuting of the elements of bhakti spirituality for materialising political gains is the pathography of bhakti that this article wants to elucidate. The commonsensical projection of bhakti poetry, which has its major impact on the bhakta mass rather than the transcendental inner connotations, may easily provide validation to the propagations carried out by a Hindu fascist like Modi. This article tries to show that apparently benign ideologies can also be doctored to deploy them as weapons for hardening a divisive, fascist political cult. 

 

Conduit, Dara. 2025. “Digital Authoritarianism and the Global Technology Industry: Evidence from Iran.” Government and Opposition 60 (3), 751 – 772. https://doi.org/10.1017/gov.2024.31

• Abstract: The purchase of commercial spyware by at least 43 authoritarian states has drawn attention to the links between the international private technology trade and autocrats. This article sits at the intersection of the literatures on the international relations of authoritarian regimes, digital authoritarianism and the political economy of authoritarianism, asking, what impacts, if any, do the foreign technology trade relations of authoritarian regimes have on authoritarian resilience? Building a four-mechanism model to explain the interaction between the private technology trade and digital authoritarianism, the article then tests the model on a case study of Iran. It argues that while global technology companies lack the ideological or geopolitical interests that drive the engagement between authoritarian regimes and foreign states, an intense overlap in interests still exists between profit-hungry private technology companies and technology-hungry regimes. This facilitates the establishment of mutually beneficial relationships that contribute to authoritarian resilience and survival, however inadvertently. 

 

Desrosiers, Marie-Eve, and Nic Cheeseman. 2026. “The Rise of Authoritarian Middle Powers.” Journal of Democracy  37 (2), 18-34. https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/articles/the-rise-of-authoritarian-middle-powers/

• Abstract: Political leaders such as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney have urged the world’s “middle powers” to unite in defense of democracy and the liberal rules-based order. While laudable, such appeals rest on an outdated conception of middle powers as largely benign democratic actors committed to providing global public goods. In reality, many middle powers are authoritarian and are more likely to contribute to the erosion of global norms and institutions than to efforts to sustain them. Drawing on evidence from cases including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey, this essay presents a new framework to understand how authoritarian middle powers use alliances with their democratic counterparts to hedge their bets while simultaneously undermining liberal multilateral institutions, promoting autocratic ideals, and engaging in cross-border repression. These practices merit greater attention because they serve to dilute global human-rights commitments, normalize authoritarian governance, and accelerate the unravelling of the international rules-based order.

 

Di Salvo, Philip. 2025. “Dealing with the Black Box: European Journalists and the Threats of Spyware.” Digital Journalism 13 (10): 1715–34. doi:10.1080/21670811.2024.2378122. 

• Abstract: Revelations from the 2021 “Pegasus Project” investigation into the use of spyware have confirmed long-held concerns about the proliferation of the technology as a surveillance solution to monitor the activities of journalists around the world. Spyware is a particularly malicious form of malware that can potentially expose a target’s entire digital life, sometimes even leaving victims powerless to prevent an attack. As such, spyware appears to be the ultimate tool of oppression that can be used against journalists, and its proliferation is currently taking place with extremely limited transparency and according to “black box” dynamics. The aim of this paper is to shed light on how spyware technology can affect the work and security of journalists by analyzing what threats spyware poses to the practice of journalism. Qualitative and exploratory in nature, and theoretically grounded in surveillance studies and the growing body of literature on information security in journalism, the article is based on a series of qualitative interviews with technologists and reporters conducted to deepen the understanding of the threats posed by spyware and to provide an overview of potential resistance and neutralization practices that journalists can put in place, as well as their effectiveness. Overall, the article aims to contribute to the study of the impact of surveillance on journalism and its implications for press freedom.

 

Emig, Addison K., and Michael J. Schumacher. 2025. “Politicizing Terror: The (Ab)Use of Counterterrorism Law for Authoritarian Ends in Tunisia.” Democratization 32 (2): 561–87. doi:10.1080/13510347.2024.2382353. 

• Abstract: This article analyses Tunisian President Kais Saied’s abuse of counterterrorism law and his culpability in the country’s democratic backsliding. Following his election in 2019, Saied, with a split government and a growing economic and political crisis, took extreme measures to end the political deadlock, including dissolving the country’s parliament and claiming emergency powers in 2021. We argue that Saied has moved beyond making temporary moves to ensure political stability and is now seeking to use the country’s counterterrorism law as both his “weapon and shield,” conducting a targeted arrest campaign against opposition figures, and solidifying his authoritarian control of Tunisia. The arrest campaign, conducted primarily under the 2015 counterterrorism law, commenced in early 2023 and has included several prominent political figures in Tunisia. The charges, often stemming from an offender’s political statements, were framed as violations of the counterterrorism law, and were therefore justified to stem the tide of extremism and terrorism in Tunisia. Such legal abuse has allowed Saied to present his authoritarian actions as within the limits of the rule of law, a common approach for entrenched authoritarians. The analysis of arrest patterns suggests that a continued abuse of the counterterrorism law will eventually erode Tunisia’s nascent democracy. 

 

Garbe, Lisa, Seraphine F. Maerz, and Tina Freyburg. 2026. “Authoritarian Collaboration and Repression in the Digital Age: Balancing Foreign Direct Investment and Control in Internet Infrastructure.” Democratization 33 (1): 85–108. doi:10.1080/13510347.2024.2442377. 

• Abstract: Controlling the digital public sphere has become an important factor of authoritarianism in the twenty-first century. Authoritarian states are reluctant to accept foreign direct investment (FDI) in their internet infrastructure. However, expanding internet infrastructure is expensive, often necessitating FDI. We argue that investment from other autocracies allows incumbent dictators to provide internet access and use it for repressive purposes. Specifically, we contend that the more repressive an authoritarian regime is offline, the higher the share of FDI from other autocracies; and the more FDI from other autocracies, the less FDI prevents the internet from being used for online repression. We analyse how the level of offline repression predicts different ownership structures of internet service providers (ISPs) in authoritarian African countries, and use a difference-in-differences estimator to test how FDI from autocracies affects online repression. Using data from the Telecommunications Ownership and Control dataset, we find a positive relationship between levels of repression and share of FDI from autocracies; if at least one ISP is owned by a foreign-autocratic investor, authoritarian regimes can expand repression online. Our study provides new insights into how authoritarian collaboration enables autocracies both to accept FDI in internet infrastructure and to leverage it for repressive ends. 

 

George, Cherian, Yujia Cheng, and Agnes Lam. 2026. “Enemies Within: Entrepreneurial Agents of Media Autocratisation in Hong Kong’s Press System.” Journalism Studies 27 (3): 419–37. doi:10.1080/1461670X.2025.2592065. 

• Abstract: The press is described as a pillar of democracy, a generalisation that glosses over the existence of anti-liberal media organisations that actively undermine press freedom and contribute to democratic backsliding. This study examines the role played by two such Hong Kong newspapers, Ta Kung Pao and Wen Wei Po, in the city’s autocratisation process since 2020. Focusing on the period immediately preceding and three years after the imposition of Hong Kong’s game-changing National Security Law of 2020, it analyses the two outlets’ ideological policing of three other organisations in Hong Kong’s media space. Right-wing media in democracies, as well as pure state media in autocratic systems, are known to add to anti-media populism by expressing contempt for liberal media. We find that the two Hong Kong outlets go further, even invoking legal sanctions. They can be termed entrepreneurial agents of media autocratisation, a form of anti-liberal media that may not be unique to Hong Kong. This article explains how such media leverage a media environment of heightened risk and uncertainty as an opportunity to enhance their own relevance and status. In doing so, they intensify the widespread culture of self-censorship that is a typical feature of autocratising media systems.

 

Guan, Tianru and Xiotong Chen. 2026. “The ‘solo of deliberator’: Political deliberation and discourse quality in China’s cyberspace.” Social Media + Society. https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051261419385

• Abstract: Nuanced studies have scrutinized the facilitative role of digital media in fostering political deliberation and in contributing to the prospect of democratization in (semi-) authoritarian societies. This study illuminates a less-explored facet of non-democratic contexts’ digital politics by shedding light on discourse quality in cyberspace. Guided by Gastil and Black’s analytical–social framework of deliberation, we propose an integrated analytical model comprising seven dimensions and employ a case study approach combined with supervised machine learning to analyze Chinese netizens’ digital engagement with the public policy of “delaying retirement age” on the popular Q&A platform. The findings reveal deliberative virtues—topic relevance, rationality, and civility—alongside a low presence of political alienation and minimal institutional alignment, suggesting generally strong analytical performance. In contrast, the social dimension, represented by argument reciprocity and transpositional consideration, remains weak, reflecting a lack of sustained interaction. Based on these empirical results, we coin the concept of the “solo of deliberator” to describe a pattern of online deliberation where analytical reasoning prevails while social engagement is subdued. Implications for deliberative democracy in non-democratic nations are discussed.

 

Guan, Zexu and Zheyu Shang. 2026. “Constructing gender antagonism: Moralised platform governance in China.” Media and Communication 14. https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.12064

• Abstract: “Gender antagonism” (xingbie duili) has emerged on Chinese social media platforms as a prevailing term, and subsequently as a governance category for regulating online disputes. Adopting a power-sensitive approach, which scrutinises the interplay between the production of meaning and the allocation of communication resources, this study examines how “gender antagonism” is dynamically constructed between users, platforms, and the state through the case of Weibo. Employing critical discourse analysis of user jury voting records, Weibo’s disclosures, and state policy documents, we argue that gender antagonism is not an objective description of gender disputes, but a discursive framework initially mobilised by some users and later institutionalised by platforms and state authorities. The pervasive moralised deployment of this term in platform governance marginalises discussions of gender equality and delegitimises critiques of mainstream gender norms amid China’s crisis of population reproduction. While this discursive construction reflects a moralised platform governance pattern and transfers into effective online visibility control, it eschews gender equality, failing to alleviate long-standing tensions in China’s social governance.

 

Han, Xiaofei and Min Jiang. 2025. “From laissez-faire to regulatory winter? Regulating Chinese platforms at the crossroads of antitrust, industrial policy, and geopolitics.” International Communication Gazette 88 (1–2). https://doi.org/10.1177/17480485251405588 

• Abstract: This paper examines China’s platform antitrust actions between 2019 and 2023, situating them within the broader contexts of industrial policy and geopolitical tensions. Between March 2021 and July 2022, SAMR issued 126 antitrust penalties against 12 leading tech firms including Tencent, ByteDance, Meituan, and Baidu. While these moves reflect state concerns over market concentration, they also expose tensions in China’s political economy, as these firms are key actors in industrial upgrading and digital transformation targeted by policies such as Made in China 2025 and the Manufacturing Power Strategy (zhizao qiangguo) in an intensified geopolitical environment. Drawing on regulatory documents, policy texts, and SAMR penalty decisions, this paper addresses a gap in platform and policy studies by highlighting the role of private internet companies in advancing state industrial policy and geopolitical goals and offers empirical insights into two decades of market integration in China’s internet sector through mergers and joint ventures.

 

Heidari, Milad. 2026. “Beyond the Mobs: Understanding the Outsourcing of State Repression in Iran under the Shah.” Politics, Religion & Ideology, June, 1–32. doi:10.1080/21567689.2026.2692505. 

• Abstract: This article reexamines how the Pahlavi state outsourced repression to pro-Shah armed non-state actors. Existing scholarship has largely approached these actors through three frameworks: as Tehran-based mobs during the 1953 coup, as chomaqdaran (club-wielders) in the historiography of the Islamic Republic, or as apolitical thugs whose persistence beyond the early 1960s remains unexplained. Drawing on archival documents, newspapers, memoirs, and oral testimonies, this article examines the Liberation Organization of Iran (LOI), a pro-Shah organization founded in Tabriz in 1952 and later incorporated into the National Resistance Organization and the Resistance Force. It argues that the LOI was not a spontaneous mob but a pro-government militia with a defined structure, ideological orientation, and enduring ties to state institutions. The article further suggests that such militias emerged from nationalist mobilization during the Allied occupation and the Azerbaijan Crisis of 1945–1946 and were later reinforced through state-building projects under Mohammad Reza Shah. By tracing the organizational continuity from the LOI to later pro-Shah militias, this study offers a new perspective on the relationship between the Pahlavi state and armed non-state actors and contributes to a broader understanding of the outsourcing of repression in modern Iran. 

 

Karcic, Hikmet, and Monica Hanson-Green. 2024. “’Remove Kebab’: The Appeal of Serbian Nationalist Ideology among the Global Far Right.” Journal of Right-Wing Studies 2 (1). https://doi.org/10.5070/RW3.1677

• Abstract: This article examines the appeal of Serbian nationalist ideology among the contemporary far right. We argue that the discursive othering of Bosnian Muslims as “Turks” as well as the Serbian grand narrative presenting the Bosnian War as a civilizational struggle between Christian Europe and Islam are uniquely resonant with the popular anti-Muslim and xenophobic discourses that are mobilizing right-wing extremists across the globe. Through an analysis of Serbian and far-right discourses, we demonstrate how the patterns of representation that were used to incite and justify the violence committed against Bosnian Muslims in the 1990s are being exported to remote corners of the world via the internet, where they merge with extraneous Islamophobic and racist ideologies to inspire a new generation of extremism, hatred, and violence. 

 

Kipkoech, Gilbert. 2026. “Framing Populism in Kenya: A Form of Pathology or a Force for Good?” Western Journal of Communication 90 (1): 139–64. doi:10.1080/10570314.2025.2569096. 

• Abstract: This article presents findings from a content and thematic analysis of the opinion pages of Kenyan newspapers. By bringing together literature on framing and populism, the study maps how Kenyan journalists and the Kenyan public report about and understand populism through their media contributions. Based on an analysis of a sample of 137 opinion articles published in leading Kenyan newspapers, the findings reveal a mixed representation of populism. On the one hand, populism is projected as a force for good, and on the other, it is described as a potentially malign force in the Kenyan political parlance.

 

Kobayashi, Tetsuro, Yuan Zhou, Lungta Seki, and Asako Miura. 2025. “Autocracies Win the Minds of the Democratic Public: How Japanese Citizens Are Persuaded by Illiberal Narratives Propagated by Authoritarian Regimes.” Democratization 32 (6): 1474–95. doi:10.1080/13510347.2025.2475472. 

• Abstract: This study examines the persuasive effects of illiberal narratives on citizens in democratic countries in the context of increasing influence operations by authoritarian states, focusing on Japan as a case study. We compare the impact of illiberal narratives originating from China and Russia with that of mainstream narratives prevalent in democracies. Study 1 shows that whereas both narratives shift public opinion, illiberal narratives exert a stronger influence. Authoritarian tendencies, conspiracy beliefs, and political sophistication do not moderate these effects. By simulating two-sided exposure, Study 2 finds that despite narratives tending to cancel each other out, the effect of illiberal narratives persists, especially when introduced after mainstream narratives. These findings highlight a potential vulnerability in democratic societies such as Japan, where mainstream narratives may not adequately counteract illiberal influences. 

 

Koch, Natalie. 2024. “Green Nationalism from Above: Authoritarian State Power and the Greening of UAE Nationalism.” Nations and Nationalism 31 (4), 946-965. https://doi.org/10.1111/nana.13042

• Abstract: All nationalisms have multiple storylines that evolve in response to changes in global affairs. The shifting geopolitical and ecological circumstances surrounding climate change are contributing to the strengthening of “green nationalisms” around the world — including in authoritarian states. This article examines the rise of green nationalism in the UAE, where state-led discourse has tapped into sustainability tropes to reframe the country’s national identity and values as “green.” Building from over 5 years of qualitative research on the UAE’s sustainability agenda, it examines the evolution of state-led green nationalist storylines through institutional, policy, and events landscapes in the years leading up to and including the United Nations COP28 climate talks in Dubai in December 2023. Emirati political elites, I argue, mobilise green nationalism to cultivate symbolic capital domestically and internationally and, in so doing, legitimate their authoritarian hold on state power. The greening of nationalisms requires much closer scrutiny around the world — and especially when promoted by authoritarian leaders who are more motivated by regime durability rather than joining the global community for urgent climate action.

 

Larsson, Tomas, Stithorn Thananithichot, and Joel Selway. 2025. “Buddhists, Ballots, and Backing for Authoritarian Successor Parties in Thailand.” Democratization 32 (8): 2019–47. doi:10.1080/13510347.2025.2484583. 

• Abstract: Does popular support for democratic backsliding, or autocratization, have a religious basis? This article addresses this question by investigating the relationship between Buddhist religiosity and voter support for the successor parties of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), the military junta that ruled Thailand between 2014 and 2019. Relying on data from a survey conducted following the 14 May 2023 election, we find that certain Buddhist beliefs, practices, and sectarian affinities correlate with backing for the NCPO’s successor parties in both the 2019 and 2023 elections. Ceteris paribus, authoritarian successor parties find greater support than their main pro-democratic rivals among voters with stronger beliefs in reincarnation and the law of karma; who are less orientated towards sacred Buddhist objects; who engage in Vipassana meditation more frequently; and who feel closer to one new Buddhist movement (Santi Asoke) and more distant to another (Wat Phra Dhammakaya). Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the main electoral cleavage in Thailand’s 2019 and 2023 elections – that between authoritarian successor parties and their main pro-democratic rivals – reflects important differences in Buddhist religiosity heretofore ignored in explaining Thailand’s political divide. 

 

Lee, Hojeong. 2025. “Digital Democracy and Gendered Narratives: A Comparative Study of Korean Digital Political Media in 2023 and 2025.” Women’s Studies in Communication 48 (4): 511–33. doi:10.1080/07491409.2025.2550886. 

• Abstract: Digital media has emerged as a significant source of news and information, playing a critical role in shaping public understanding of politics and current affairs. Previous research shows that the digital media’s influence becomes especially pronounced during a national crisis. This paper investigates how the formulation and consumption of news changes in response to intensified political tension, focusing on South Korea. Employing two complementary methods, conversation analysis and qualitative content analysis, this research examines how gender roles were constructed and performed within digital media formats across two periods: January to March of the politically stable year 2023, and the same period in 2025, following the attempted presidential declaration of martial law on December 3, 2024. The analysis considers political news programs on YouTube and podcasts adopting conversational formats, where political discussions unfold through interaction between hosts and guests. The findings reveal that while digital platforms are often considered as more democratic than traditional media, they have not been entirely liberated from conventional journalistic norms, as traditional gender biases were often reinforced. However, the 2024–2025 political crisis disrupted these patterns. The crisis served as a rupture strong enough to shake deeply rooted gender dynamics and affirm that deviation from traditional roles was not only possible but necessary. Women’s visibility increased dramatically, they were given more opportunities to speak, their insights were more valued, and their expertise more consistently respected. Ultimately, this research demonstrates that although digital media has long replicated conventional gender stereotypes, it also holds potential to catalyze more inclusive public discourse and open new possibilities for gendered agency.

 

Lee, Francis L. F., Chi-Kit Chan, and Gary K. Y. Tang. 2026. “Political Tolerance and Forms of Active News Avoidance.” Journalism Studies 27 (3): 400–418. doi:10.1080/1461670X.2025.2590559. 

• Abstract: Individuals vary in the degree to which they are willing to recognize the rights of and listen to politically different others. This can have implications on how people consume the media. This article examines political tolerance as an antecedent of active news avoidance. It contends that one possible motivation for people to avoid the news is to avoid exposure to politically discordant views. Hence tolerance should relate negatively to active news avoidance. However, when different forms of active news avoidance are differentiated, intolerance should lead primarily to source-based and topical, rather than general, avoidance. This pattern of relationships should be particularly pronounced among those who perceive themselves as capable of judging the qualities of information and information sources. Analysis of survey data from Hong Kong demonstrates the tolerance-avoidance relationship, though the findings on the moderating impact of perceived ability to judge information are mixed. Implications of the findings are discussed.

 

Lee, Soojin, and Hyuck Kim. 2026. “Navigating Tradition and Modernity: Legitimacy and Identity Strategies of Authoritarian Regimes in Saudi Arabia and Iran.” Third World Quarterly 47 (5): 957–76. doi:10.1080/01436597.2025.2599321. 

• Abstract: This study examines the strategies employed by authoritarian regimes in Saudi Arabia and Iran to secure legitimacy and ensure regime stability amid evolving political and socio-economic landscapes. By focusing on identity politics, the research explores how both regimes leverage religious foundations, historical narratives, and modernisation efforts to foster domestic and international support. Historically tied to Wahhabism, Saudi legitimacy has been downgraded under Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman; today it rests on stability, prosperity, unity, and dynastic heritage, reflected in Vision 2030 and Founding Day. Similarly, Iran, rooted in Shia Islamism and Iranian nationalism, utilises its ideological and cultural heritage to navigate internal challenges and external pressures. The analysis highlights the interplay between tradition and modernity in the political strategies of these regimes, emphasising the role of religion, ideology, and material welfare in maintaining authoritarian stability. The findings underscore the multifaceted nature of legitimacy-building, moving beyond repression to incorporate identity-based narratives and socio-political reforms. This study contributes to the understanding of authoritarian resilience in the Middle East, offering insights into the mechanisms of regime stability during periods of leadership transition and geopolitical uncertainty. 

 

Lu, Yingdan. 2026. “Performative Propaganda Engagement: How Celebrity Fans Engage with State Propaganda on Weibo.” Political Communication 43 (1): 99–127. doi:10.1080/10584609.2025.2584999. 

• Abstract: Authoritarian regimes have increasingly co-opted non-state actors such as celebrities and fans to extend the reach of state propaganda in fragmented digital environments. Despite this growing trend, there remains limited understanding of how fans in authoritarian contexts respond to such efforts. This paper identified a novel phenomenon, performative propaganda engagement, to explain why and how celebrity fans in informational autocracies engage with state propaganda. Combining quantitative analysis of fan engagement with People’s Daily on Weibo and qualitative interviews with celebrity fans in China, this exploratory research finds that celebrity fans actively incorporate the promotion of state propaganda into their daily activities, aiming to enhance the visibility and reputation of their celebrities. Fans primarily engage with celebrity-signaling propaganda, and some of this engagement is instrumental. This research contributes to political communication theory by offering an alternative view of the downstream effects of digital propaganda in authoritarian contexts. The findings shed light on how non-state actors are strategically incorporated into state communication efforts and how fans may behave under a compliance-based logic shaped by political constraints and platform incentives, bridging scholarship on authoritarian information control, fandom politics, and algorithmic media environments.

 

Ma, Ming, Daniil Romanov, Alexander Libman, and Genia Kostka. 2025. “Listening to an Authoritarian Neighbor: Russian Propaganda on Chinese Social Media After the Ukraine Invasion.” Political Research Quarterly 79 (1). https://doi.org/10.1177/10659129251395307

• Abstract: Authoritarian states actively engage in cross-border propaganda. While the effects and the narratives of this propaganda targeting democracies have been studied in the past, little attention has been paid to how sudden and significant geopolitical events influence the engagement of authoritarian propaganda in other like-minded states. This study closes the gap by looking at Russia’s propaganda in Chinese social media platform Weibo. We look at how users of the platform reacted to messages spread by Russia Today (RT) and Sputnik after the full-scale invasion against Ukraine. Applying computational text analysis and regression analysis we show that although the outbreak of the war led to a surge in Russian propaganda—especially anti-Western and war-related narratives—Chinese audiences exhibited a pronounced tendency to engage primarily with narratives highlighting non-Western cooperation, reflecting a strong alignment with the Chinese government’s domestic propaganda. 

 

Mehran, Wahid and Jolanta A Drzewiecka. 2026. “Afghanistan’s digital diaspora: Conflicted constructions of nation and identity.” Social Media + Society. https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051261434800 

• Abstract: Afghanistan’s diaspora swelled after the Taliban took over the government in 2021 and initiated a nation-building project that marginalized some ethnic groups. Acts of discrimination were exposed online and discussed by users in the diaspora and in Afghanistan. Studies of non-mediated practices of Afghanistan’s diaspora show separation along ethnic lines. How the ethnic divisions play out in the digital space where users from the diaspora and Afghanistan debate the future of the nation and whether digital affordances facilitate interactions across divisions, and how, have not been addressed. We connect the literature on digital diaspora and firestorms to elucidate the role of affect in interactions between “here and there.” We conducted a netnography of X (Twitter) posts about events in Afghanistan between August 15, 2021, when the Taliban seized Kabul, and August 15, 2024. A thematic analysis of threads revealed three themes: essentialist displacement, the politics of labels, and language advocacy. The themes wove reciprocal defensive exclusionary discourses of place, group labels, and language erupting in affective surges animated by historical grievances and perceptions of marginalization evolved over centuries-long cohabitation in spaces that now constitute the state of Afghanistan. While heterogeneous and interacting across ethnic lines, the contributors spun essentialist discourses reflecting struggles over recognition, legitimacy, and ownership of the national narrative. The ethnic divisions were actively reshaped and expressed in digital spaces, producing fragmented encapsulation.

 

Menshawy, Mustafa. 2026. “Beautiful Authoritarianism: Contributions of the Leader’s Wife in Egypt and Jordan.” Third World Quarterly 47 (11): 2301–19. doi:10.1080/01436597.2025.2604556. 

• Abstract: Authoritarian leaders constantly search for allies to harness their strategies for maintaining their hold on power such as repression, legitimation or co-optation. In this article I argue that the wife of a leader is one key ally contributing to implementing these strategies as she uniquely occupies two positions; she is a woman who aims to control other women for strategic reasons by claiming to represent them as part of performing ‘hegemonic femininity’, while also being a political actor like any other member of the ‘ruling coalition’. She can tighten the grip on key sectors such as civil society and secure external support by making the regime look good and democratic. The analysis proves these claims by examining the examples of first ladies in both Egypt and Jordan. 

 

Michaelsen, Marcus, and Siena Anstis. 2025. “Gender-Based Digital Transnational Repression and the Authoritarian Targeting of Women in the Diaspora.” Democratization 32 (6): 1518–40. doi:10.1080/13510347.2025.2476178. 

• Abstract: Authoritarian governments rely on digital transnational repression to silence criticism and dissent outside their territories. Women human rights defenders and journalists in exile and in the diaspora face particular, gendered forms of digital threats that exploit their gender identity to intimidate, shame and discredit them. Based on 51 qualitative interviews with women human rights defenders originating from six countries (Azerbaijan, Eritrea, Iran, Russia, Turkey, Xinjiang/China) and residing in 17 host countries, this article investigates some key tactics of gender-based digital transnational repression. We argue that monitoring, invasive surveillance, online harassment and defamation aim to either subject the exiled women activists to the control of the repressive state again or stigmatize and distance them from their communities. By turning misogyny into a tool of political repression, authoritarian regimes are able to amplify digital attacks against exiled women activists, expanding the actor configurations involved their repressive strategies. Our findings highlight how gender-based digital transnational repression extends forms of authoritarian domination from domestic and “offline” settings into digital space and the transnational field. 

 

Milošev, Marko. 2026. “A Unifying Creed: Religious Language and the Limits of Inclusion in Yugoslav Fascist Discourse.” Politics, Religion & Ideology 27 (1): 1–21. doi:10.1080/21567689.2026.2660296. 

• Abstract: This article investigates how the Yugoslav National Movement ZBOR, led by Dimitrije Ljotić in the 1930s, employed religious language as a tool of political legitimacy in a multi-ethnic and multi-confessional state. Moving beyond the institutional paradigm of clerical fascism, the study focuses on the ideological dimension by analysing Ljotić’s writings, speeches, and party publications to trace how religious tropes such as martyrdom, Christian unity, anti-Semitism, and divine mandate shaped ZBOR’s rhetorical framework. Religious rhetoric provided both a moral scaffolding for authoritarian nationalism and a strategic means of embedding radical-right positions within familiar moral and biblical frameworks. These references also allowed ZBOR to evade censorship while mobilizing its base. The analysis highlights a central tension in ZBOR’s rhetoric: inclusive appeals to Christianity as a unifying, supra-confessional force contrasted with an increasing privileging of Serbian Orthodox narratives, particularly during crises like the concordat dispute. This duality exposed the limits of religious pan-Yugoslavism and underscored the instability of fascist projects in multi-ethnic and multi-religious states. Situating ZBOR within broader European fascism, the article demonstrates how religious discourse could simultaneously unite and fracture, offering insight into the adaptability and contradictions of fascist ideologies in plural societies. 

 

Nakahara, Junki, and Jing Cai. 2025. “User-generated “feminism” on BiliBili: Nationalism, Internet culture, and platform dynamics in digital China.” Information, Communication & Society 28 (5). https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448251317176

• Abstract: This study examines how digital nationalism distorts the articulation of feminism on China’s popular video-sharing platform, BiliBili. Through a discourse analysis of the 100 most-viewed user-generated videos tagged with “feminism” (nüquan), we find that BiliBili’s unique sociotechnical context, functioning both as a cultural platform and as a conduit for state propaganda, creates a space where various forms of nationalism—including anti-consumerism, anti-Western liberalism, and Sinocentric nationalism/chauvinism toward East Asian neighbors—intersect with discussions of feminism. Consequently, feminism on BiliBili gains virality only insofar as it does not appear “contradictory” to state-sponsored ideological slogans, norms, and notions of national identity. This article demonstrates how a seemingly participatory and free discursive space for user-generated content can, in fact, constrain women’s agency in negotiating the very concept of feminism, limiting their ability to articulate struggles and diversify narratives.

 

Nord, Marina, Ana Good God, and Staffan I. Lindberg. 2026. “State of the World 2025: Unravelling the Democratic Era?” Democratization 33 (4): 703–28. doi:10.1080/13510347.2026.2661683. 

• Abstract: This article offers six main findings about the state of democracy in the world. First, for the statistically average global citizen, the level of democracy in 2025 has reverted to 1978 levels. Second, autocracies now outnumber democracies (92 to 87) and are home to 74% of the world’s population. Third, freedom of expression is the worst-affected aspect, worsening in 44 countries over the last decade. Fourth, 44 countries are currently autocratizing, representing 41% of the world’s population and 39% of global GDP, while only 18 are democratizing. Fifth, the systematic analysis of the cumulative effects of the third wave of autocratization shows that 85 countries – almost half of the world – were autocratizing at some point since 2000. Three-quarters of them are worse in terms of democracy by 2025. Sixth, comprehensively analyzing the ongoing autocratization in the USA, this article highlights a dramatic 24% decline in liberal democracy during the first year of the second Trump presidency, reverting to 1965 levels. This represents the most rapid dismantling of democracy in modern history, marked by a concentration of power in the presidency, undermining civil rights and the rule of law, and the suppression of dissent and the media.

 

Orjuela, Camilla. 2025. “The ‘Ideal Citizen’ Abroad: Engaging Rwanda’s Young Generation Diaspora.” Globalizations 22 (1): 34–50. doi:10.1080/14747731.2023.2275363. 

• Abstract: When approaching its diaspora, the Rwandan government pays special attention to the young generation. Diaspora youth are seen as especially potent contributors to Rwanda’s development and security – but also as a potential threat. The article analyzes how Rwanda reaches out to, frames and strives to form young Rwandans abroad. Building on interviews, online diaspora events and media reports, it discusses how the state not only seeks support from Rwandan youth abroad, but also attempts to shape them into ‘ideal citizens’ who are patriotic, disciplined, productive and innovative. Many young diasporans embrace these outreach efforts and the opportunities they offer. Others, who criticize the Rwandan regime, are exposed to various cooptation and silencing tactics. The article shows how state efforts to foster ‘ideal citizens’ not only target immigrants but also emigrants and their descendants, and how migrant-sending states entwine inclusion and exclusion as they engage their young generation diaspora. 

 

Ottinger, Sarah. 2025. “Securing Compliance Through Propaganda: Framing Within China’s One-Child Policy Propaganda.” Southern Communication Journal 90 (5): 355–69. doi:10.1080/1041794X.2025.2552858. 

• Abstract: Enacted from 1979 to 2015, China’s One-Child Policy was one of the most drastic birth control policies in world history, with its aim to significantly contain and reduce its high population numbers. During the policy’s era, China’s propaganda department published a vast amount of propaganda in various forms, such as slogans, murals, songs, etc. to gain compliance with the policy, and overall, the Chinese Communist Party. Studying 12 propagandic texts, this paper investigates how China’s propaganda utilized specific strategies to secure obedience to the One-Child Policy. I argue that the party employed framing through three methods. First, the propaganda targets citizens’ moral obligation to partake in family planning using slogans. Second, the propaganda simplistically constructs the moral identities of faithful versus disobedient citizens. And third, the propaganda imparts an idealistic future in which all tensions are resolved. Through these methods, the propaganda displays the superiority of the party and its gendered social control. I contend that women are reduced to their reproductive nature and scapegoated as the policy’s centrality of birth control planning bears consequences on their bodily autonomy. Lastly, from these methods, the propaganda projects a standard lifestyle that reinforces the party’s ideology and that not only demands compliance with the policy but also loyal militants to the party.

 

Pamirzad, Qurban Hissain and Qiang Chen. 2026. “The conjuncture of intentionality, facticity, and identity: Exposure to disinformation and malinformation on social media and their association with ethnic polarization.” Social Media + Society. https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051261417516 

• Abstract: The dissemination of weaponized information—defined as the intentional use of falsehoods (i.e. disinformation) and the harmful misuse of accurate information (i.e. malinformation) against a target—on social media represents a notable downside of these platforms, often linked to polarization. However, research on the relationship between weaponized information and polarization remains limited due to conceptual ambiguities and geographical context. This study uses cross-sectional survey data (N = 520) collected across eight provinces in Afghanistan to explore the direct and indirect association between exposure to disinformation and malinformation online and ethnic polarization. Findings through mediation analyses reveal that exposure to disinformation was not associated with ethnic polarization, either directly or indirectly. Conversely, exposure to malinformation was directly associated with ethnic polarization and indirectly linked to it through increased ingroup positive perception. These findings highlight the nuanced difference in how intentional falsehoods and the harmful misuse of accurate information shape polarization dynamics in ethnically diverse and polarized societies.

 

Pollozhani, Lura, and Florian Bieber. 2025. “Protests for Change: Mass Protests against Competitive Authoritarian Regimes in the Western Balkans.” Third World Quarterly 46 (2): 193–214. doi:10.1080/01436597.2025.2462250. 

• Abstract: The Western Balkans have experienced several competitive authoritarian regimes in the past two decades. The article examines the strategies of opposition movements and parties in challenging these regimes, focusing on protests. It argues that institutional responses to competitive authoritarian regimes, such as pre-election coalitions, get-out-the-vote campaigns, and similar strategies, have failed to challenge regimes without extra-institutional approaches, such as mass protests. However, not all protests have resulted in effectively challenging competitive authoritarianism. Focusing on Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, we examine cooperation and coordination between civil protest movements and opposition parties. We explore protests that have helped lead to government change and those that have been unable to and analyse them in terms of their ability to bring together parties and civil society groups and their link to institutional responses. 

 

Rossi, Norma. 2025. “Populism without a People: Neoliberal Populism and the Rise of the Italian Far Right.” Journal of Political Ideologies 30 (2): 455–75. doi:10.1080/13569317.2023.2196241. 

• Abstract: While populism is often understood as a reaction to neoliberalism, this paper investigates neoliberalism as a host ideology of populism. Building on Wendy Brown, I argue that the populist, Italian 5 Star Movement (5SM) conforms to neoliberalism’s normative reason. Rather than democratic, this form of neoliberal populism unravels the collective and political body of the people, reducing it to an uninformed mass to be directed by technocratic means. This has profound implications as my reading of the relationship between 5SM and the far-right party Lega shows. As 5SM’s neoliberal populism is unable to express a ‘people’ it functions as a propulsive force for the racialized ‘people’ the Lega deems to express. In this way, the ‘authoritarian freedom’ informing neoliberalism implies that inadvertently neoliberal populism fosters support for far-right parties. 

Sánchez-Montijano, Elena, and Natalia Preciado Rueda. 2026. “Tell Me Where You Live and I’ll Tell You the Repression You Face: Venezuelan Authoritarianism across Borders.” Globalizations 23 (3): 675–95. doi:10.1080/14747731.2025.2576954. 

• Abstract: Transnational repression refers to tactics used by authoritarian regimes to silence dissent beyond their borders, particularly targeting political activists. This paper examines how institutional conditions in host countries shape the forms of repression experienced by Venezuelan exiled activists, one of the largest displacement populations in recent years. Drawing on interviews with politically active refugees who have lived in multiple countries, the study finds that weaker democratic institutions in destination countries facilitate transnational repression. Specifically, limited separation of powers, weak rule of law, low accountability, and absent liberal ideology create conditions that enable authoritarian interference. The research highlights how domestic political dynamics and geopolitical interests in host countries, such as the presence of pro-regime actors or alignment with the Venezuelan government, further mediate these practices. By analyzing cross-country variation, the study advances understanding of how host-state contexts influence the reach and form of authoritarian control abroad. 

 

Schenkel, Barbara. 2026. “Stately Ambiguities: Explaining Inconsistent Gender Policies as Authoritarian Regime Survival in Jordan.” Third World Quarterly 47 (5): 918–36. doi:10.1080/01436597.2025.2601811. 

• Abstract: This article analyses the inconsistencies and contradictions that exist across policies and state institutions in Jordan with regard to women’s political empowerment. It explains these ambiguities within the framework of authoritarian regime survival. Drawing on qualitative research in the international development sector in Jordan with special reference to women’s political empowerment, it becomes clear that state institutions are simultaneously involved in attempts to further and to hinder gender equality, particularly in the political realm. There are no efforts to streamline these gender policies and initiatives because they allow the Jordanian regime to cater to a number of constituencies and actors domestically and internationally. Allowing for a multiplicity of state policies and processes vis-à-vis its female citizens therefore secures its endurance. Authoritarian regime survival must consequently be understood not just in terms of coherent strategies and distinctive attempts at policing, but also by way of a more mundane refusal to streamline inconsistencies across state institutions. 

 

Schindler, D. (2025). Recall rules as a legalistic autocrat’s toolkit. The case of Zimbabwe. Democratization, 32(6), 1496–1517. https://doi.org/10.1080/13510347.2025.2476177 

• Abstract: While research on autocratic legalism has shown that incumbents deploy various legal instruments to ensure their survival, the use of recall rules to subdue opposition forces has received little attention. Moreover, recalls within parties and against MPs are largely understudied as the burgeoning recall literature mainly focusses on the removal of executive actors. Connecting both strands of literature and following the call to capture the variety of recall practices in diverse settings, the article analyses the dubious recalls in Zimbabwe after the 2023 general election. Conceptually, we argue for extending recall typologies to include party-based rules and for investigating the variance in the “democraticness” of pertinent practices. Empirically, we provide an in-depth study on the purposes, scope conditions and mechanisms of what we call sham recalls. Highlighting how recalls can be weaponized to limit space for opposition, the Zimbabwean case also shows that legalistic autocrats benefit from vague rules of the game. The study thus offers insights into how incumbents weaken multi-party legislatures through post-electoral strategies which help to preserve a rule of law façade. 

 

Sevo, Andrej. 2025. “Global Influence of the Contemporary American Far Right: A Case Study of Serbia.” Journal of Right-Wing Studies 3 (1). https://doi.org/10.5070/RW3.1386

• Abstract: The process of globalization in recent years has ignited an unprecedented level of far-right transatlantic cooperation. Individuals and members of organizations from the United States traveled to Europe intending to establish permanent relations with their ideological cousins, while new ways of online communication enabled extreme right-wing organizations to share ideas and methods of political activism and learn from each other. This phenomenon is observable in Serbia even though bilateral relations with the United States are troubled by the US-led NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999. For this reason, anti-American feelings developed among many Serbs, with the far right taking the most uncompromising attitude. Nevertheless, the American far right has inspired and influenced right-wing and even mainstream political organizations in Serbia. The first part of this article examines how extreme right-wing groups in Serbia became exposed to American far-right ideas over the Internet. It also shows how more recent connections have been established between the Serbian far right and alt-right figures from the United States. The second part will examine the effect of the populist right-wing movement created by Donald Trump on Serbian mainstream politics. Trump’s non-interventionism in his first term awakened optimism that better relations between Serbia and the United States are possible while influencing Serbian narratives, ideology, and political practice. 

 

Schumann, Maurice Phillip. 2026. “Legalizing Control: The Rise of Restrictive Internet Regulation in Sub-Saharan Africa.” Democratization 33 (1): 137–62. doi:10.1080/13510347.2025.2503370. 

• Abstract: Today, internet freedom is increasingly contingent upon government discretion. Previous research has uncovered how governments use digital strategies to establish control over online communication. However, beyond digital strategies for internet control, conventional tactics also expand the digital repressive toolkit. Governments are gradually creating legal capacities, often under the guise of preventing cybercrime or protecting user privacy, which enable them to punish online expressions of anti-government sentiments or to legalize state surveillance. But when do governments enshrine infringements of digital political and civil rights into law? Using original data on internet legislation across sub-Saharan African countries, I test whether governments’ reactive or preemptive decision-making, influenced by domestic and regional factors, drives restrictive internet regulation. The results indicate that governments restrict digital rights through national laws as a preventive measure, outside the spotlight of political events. Specifically, illiberal governments in regional environments where legal internet controls are widespread are more likely to enact restrictive internet regulation. Anecdotal evidence from cybersecurity laws enacted in Eastern Africa further highlights that governments learn from each other about acceptable levels of rights restrictions and the legal provisions needed to implement these restrictions. 

 

Sombatpoonsiri, Janjira, Stephen Tyler Williams, and Kris Ruijgrok. 2026. “Ramping up Control: How Judicial Harassment and Online Smear Campaigns Work in Tandem to Limit Dissent in Thailand.” Democratization 33 (1): 109–36. doi:10.1080/13510347.2025.2461478. 

• Abstract: This article explores the escalating intersection between traditional and digital repression, focusing specifically on judicial harassment and online smear campaigns. The repression of Thailand’s 2020–2021 protests is chosen as an exploratory case because the country’s long-standing history of suppressing dissent through weaponized laws and propaganda primarily shaped recent dynamics of repression. We propose a two-pronged mechanism to explain the interplay between judicial harassment and online smear campaigns. Firstly, the campaigns craft narratives that delegitimize individual activists, thereby framing them as targets for legal charges. Secondly, online smear campaigns legitimize severe penalties against activists, mobilizing public endorsement of these legal actions. Our methodology involves three steps. We began with qualitative analysis, using official documents and interviews with targeted activists to assess the extent to which judicial harassment and online smear campaigns were employed as a policy. We then tracked the frequency and content of posts by pro-establishment social media accounts referencing charged protest leaders. Lastly, we compared the timelines of two activists who were frequently mentioned and faced the most charges, revealing an increase in mentions during their pre-trial detention. Ultimately, our analysis bridges the gap between studies on digital repression in autocracies and the autocratic justification of repression. 

 

Tang, Gary, Francis LF Lee, Chi-Kit Chan, Stephanie ZQ Yang, and Hans Tse. 2025. “Journalists as actors of democratic resilience: Independent online media in autocratizing Hong Kong.” Media, Culture & Society 47 (8). https://doi.org/10.1177/01634437251360379

• Abstract: Studies of democratic resilience typically focus on the role of political institutions in resisting autocratization. Few studies focus on the roles of social actors in resisting autocratization even after institutional breakdown. This study offers a case study of Hong Kong, where the enactment of the National Security Law (NSL) in 2020 had ushered in a process of rapid autocratization and disrupted the status quo of the city as a hybrid regime. In the post-NSL era, social actors such as civil society practitioners and liberal journalists became crucial in sustaining democratic resilience at the societal and cultural level. Based on in-depth interviews with 20 online journalists, this article examines why these journalists decide to stay in journalism despite the severely worsened environment, the practices that signify their resilience, and how they manage risks in the process. The article thus contributes to understanding of the possible sources of democratic resilience under autocratization.

 

Tomić, Slobodan, and Savo Manojlović. 2026. “When Will an Authoritarian Regime Concede? A Framework for Strategic Campaigning through Issue Selection and Framing.” 61. https://doi.org/10.1017/gov.2026.10039

• Abstract: Social actors frequently mobilise against hybrid regimes, yet efforts to block harmful projects or constrain executive overreach rarely succeed. This paper develops a framework for explaining and predicting when such regimes concede to civic demands, focusing on two dimensions: (1) the extent to which meeting a demand would threaten key pillars of the regime’s structural power; and (2) the degree to which an issue generates broad emotional resonance. Their configuration shapes the likelihood and form of concessions. The framework is tested through six campaigns between 2020 and 2024 in Serbia led by Move, Change, a major civic organisation opposing the Vučić regime. Across all six cases, the issue’s initial position in the two-dimensional matrix – and its movement over time – closely predicted regime behaviour. Low structural threat paired with high issue resonance tended to produce relatively swift concessions, whereas high-threat issues met sustained resistance. The paper advances research on authoritarian resistance by clarifying when civic pressure can meaningfully alter regime behaviour, while providing activists with a strategic planning tool for selecting and framing issues to maximise their leverage.

 

Tsourapas, Gerasimos, Walid Ali, and Iosif Kovras. 2026. “The Origins of Transnational Repression: Colonial Legacies and Authoritarian Circulations in Libya’s Disappearance Regime.” International Political Sociology 20 (3). https://doi.org/10.1093/ips/olag029

• Abstract: Enforced disappearance is often treated as a domestic aberration or a problem of transitional justice. This article reconceptualizes disappearance as a transnational infrastructure of authoritarian governance, through which states assert sovereign power, delineate ideological boundaries, and render political opposition invisible across borders. Drawing on international political sociology, it develops an account of disappearance as an infrastructural technology embedded in colonial legacies, regional exchanges, and evolving security architectures. Focusing on Libya, the article traces how practices of surveillance, legal erasure, public stigmatization, and extraterritorial violence developed from Italian colonial rule, were consolidated under Gaddafi, and persisted after 2011. Based on archival research, original interviews with former detainees and exiles, and historical analysis, it shows how disappearance became a durable infrastructure of rule over time. Libya’s disappearance regime operated through diplomatic platforms, kinship networks, and regional security cooperation linking North Africa and the Middle East. By historicizing the transnational dimensions of disappearance, the article challenges methodological nationalism and advances debates on transnational repression, the performance of sovereignty, and the enduring afterlives of empire.

 

Wu, Geqi and Yulan Zhang. 2025. “Reinvented Chinese state media: The discursive construction of journalistic identity on WeChat.” Journalism 27 (5). https://doi.org/10.1177/14648849251341671

• Abstract: As China’s news organizations continue partnering with social media, they must wrestle with new ways to best present themselves to meet the expectations of audiences. Based on a series of news reports on a fire accident released by the WeChat official accounts of eight state-run media organizations, this study explores how China’s state news sectors reinvent their self-image in social media. The analysis of the communicative setting, content, linguistic and visual resources of the reports shows that the journalistic identity presented in the reports has changed gradually from news disseminator to news explicator juxtaposed with emotion conveyor, and to sentimental storyteller. The findings suggest while state media sectors try to maintain the image as authoritative news producer, they appeal to personalization to build a close tie with audiences. The study argues that China’s traditional journalistic norms, the state media’s political imperatives, and WeChat affordances converge to cause the shift of the journalistic identity. The study has enriched the analysis of journalistic practice in social media in the Chinese context and shed some light on the functions of multimedia settings to enact journalistic identity.

 

Yabanci, Bilge. 2025. “Surveil, Datafy, Publicize: Digital Authoritarianism and Migration Governance in Turkey.” Democratization 32 (4): 1016–41. doi:10.1080/13510347.2024.2433091. 

• Abstract: Scholarly interest in digital authoritarianism has primarily focused on consolidated authoritarian regimes, where digital tools and data are employed for surveillance, repression, propaganda, and manipulation of citizens. This study redefines the scope of digital authoritarianism by examining its role in migration governance and its application beyond fully authoritarian states. It introduces a theoretical framework that examines digital authoritarianism through three key mechanisms: digital surveillance, datafication, and the selective publicization of migration data. Using Turkey as a case study, the empirical analysis highlights the distinct impacts of digital authoritarianism on citizens and non-citizens (i.e. refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants). While non-citizens are targeted by the punitive use of surveillance and datafication, the selective dissemination of migration data serves to manipulate public opinion in a failed policy area. The study then examines the European Union’s role in enhancing Turkey’s digital authoritarian capacities. It demonstrates that digital authoritarianism is becoming increasingly transnational, with democracies actively driving and financing its implementation in semi-authoritarian contexts, often circumventing democratic oversight. This study advances the theorization of digital authoritarianism by unpacking its nuanced and cross-border dynamics. 

 

Yang, Stephanie. ZQ, Francis LF Lee, Hans TF Tse. 2025. “Collective deskilling, value displacement and newsroom de-professionalization under autocratization.” Journalism 27 (2). https://doi.org/10.1177/14648849251325817

• Abstract: This study examines de-professionalization of journalism in the context of a society undergoing rapid autocratization. De-professionalization is understood as a process that undermines journalistic autonomy through the intertwined mechanisms of collective deskilling and value displacement. In-depth interviews with 70 journalists in Hong Kong after the establishment of the National Security Law shows that collective deskilling inside newsrooms proceeded with leadership change, exodus of experienced journalists, and thus the disruption of knowledge and skill transmission. Value displacement is manifested through the degradation of the types of skills tied to specific normative role conceptions and the weakening of the dominant status of professional discourses inside newsrooms. Nonetheless, professional-oriented journalists do try to resist and establish abeyance structures for preserving values and identities. The analysis adds to our understanding of the politics of press freedom in an autocratizing society by pinpointing de-professionalization as a key process and explicating how it can occur.

 

Zhang, Xiaoyu. 2025. “National discourse in Chinese cyberspace: Rethinking the roles of and dynamics between the state, digital platforms, and non-state actors.” Media, Culture & Society 48 (3). https://doi.org/10.1177/01634437251394994

• Abstract: This commentary aims to gain a more nuanced understanding of the production of nationalism in Chinese cyberspace, providing insights into the roles of and dynamics between the state, digital platforms, and non-state actors. This commentary argues that nationalism remains a resilient, predominant and taken-for-granted discursive resource that can be mobilized by various social actors for individual, political or commercial purposes in different contexts. Notably, the roles of and relations among these actors in producing nationalism online are always dynamic, contested, and contextual. This commentary advances debates on Chinese digital nationalism by analyzing the roles of diverse social actors and the dynamic relationships among them. In doing so, it challenges the prevalent ‘party-propaganda’ perspective or the binary of ‘state–netizen interaction’.

 

Added Sept. 2025:

 

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.

 

Bytwerk, Randall. “German Propaganda Archive.” Calvin University. Accessed November 9, 2025.

VIEW ARCHIVE

• AI Summary: The German Propaganda Archive, curated by Randall Bytwerk at Calvin University, is an extensive online repository of primary source materials related to propaganda from Nazi Germany and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). It offers access to original documents, speeches, posters, photographs, and instructional materials used by propagandists. The archive aims to enhance understanding of how propaganda functioned within these twentieth-century totalitarian regimes. It includes both translated and original German content, covering themes such as anti-Semitism, leader speeches, and visual propaganda. The collection is designed to provide researchers, educators, and students with direct access to the tools and messages that influenced public opinion and policy in these regimes.

 

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.

 

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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.

• AI Summary: 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.

 

Chapeye, Artem. “Lessons from Ukraine for the Struggle Against Authoritarianism & Fascism in the U.S.: Recording of Book Talk”. NELA Alliance for Democracy. August 4, 2025.

YOUTUBE LINK

• AI Summary: In his book “Ordinary People Don’t Carry Machine Guns: Thoughts on War”, (Seven Stories Press, 2025) Artem Chapeye, Ukrainian novelist, reporter and army soldier, reconsiders the choices we make when war is waged upon us. Those who are standing up to authoritarianism and fascism in the U.S. can learn from the Ukrainians’ commitment, determination, and sense of human solidarity.

 

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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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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.

 

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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.

 

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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.