The rise of authoritarian informationalism: escalating surveillance, manipulation, and control The past decade has witnessed a transformation in the study of authoritarian governance, with increasing attention paid to how digital technologies reshape strategies of regime survival. While init...

New special issue: “The rise of authoritarian informationalism” ed. by Lisa Garbe (@wzb.bsky.social) + @seraphinemaerz.bsky.social. It brings together work on how digital and analogue tools are reshaping authoritarian power across borders and regime types. Link: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

My latest with Balazs Szent-Ivanyi

Full article: There and back again: democratization, autocratization and democratic resilience

Here we introduce the “Fifty Years of the Third Wave” Special Issue
@democratization.bsky.social

Democratic resilience in Europe – and its limits The article applies the concept of democratic resilience to recent political developments in Europe. In line with core definitions of the concept, we distinguish between ways in which European demo...

📖 European democratic resilience: how does institutional, societal, and transnational resilience resist authoritarian threats — or drive deeper democratic renewal?

Richard Youngs and Elene Panchulidze wrote for @democratization.bsky.social

👉 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

A fear dictator who is spinning? Conceptualizing authoritarian responses to digital uptake through the case study of information control in Belarus Contemporary authoritarian regimes increasingly rely on digital technologies in their information control strategies, such as censorship, surveillance, and propaganda. However, the digital transfor...

New Publication!
How do “fear dictators” become “spin dictators” once societies go online?@ildardaminov.bsky.social in @democratization.bsky.social traces how the Lukashenka regime in #Belarus and its bureaucracy have retooled their info control in response to #digital uptake
doi.org/10.1080/1351...

Personnel management, institutional engineering, and coercion: mechanisms of the personalization of executive power How do chief executives personalize power? In this paper we conceptualize the personalization of executive power based on observable processes initiated by the chief executive aiming to increase po...

Just published ‼️ This has been incredible team work with great @giga-hamburg.de colleagues! How do chief executives personalize power? The article develops and operationalises a concept of personalization and applies it to four cases in different world regions.

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Who supports the coup? Deprivation, decolonization and junta support in post-coup Mali This study investigates support for Mali’s military government two years after a coup overthrew the democratic order. It evaluates two common explanations for the popular enthusiasm that accompanie...

Excited to share my new article “Who Supports the Coup?”, revealing that decolonization concerns, not economic deprivation, best explain popular support for Mali's military junta.

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

@democratization.bsky.social
Draws on @afrobarometer.bsky.social data

The frenemy within – populism’s dual role in democratisation Is populism a threat to democracy or a force for democratisation? New research suggests populism can both revitalise politics and erode democratic institutions.

Our article, “The Frenemy Within: Populism’s Dual Role in Democratization”, with @toygarsinanbaykan.bsky.social
in @democratization.bsky.social
is now available on @lseeuroppblog.bsky.social as a blog post blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2... @lse-ei.bsky.social

From predicting dissent to programming power; analyzing AI-driven authoritarian governance in the Middle East through TRIAD framework This paper examines the strategic adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) by authoritarian leaning regimes in the Middle East, focusing on Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). B...

New Article: ISRF Early Career Fellow Arash Beidollahkhani, "From predicting dissent to programming power; analyzing AI-driven authoritarian governance in the Middle East through TRIAD framework" in
@democratization.bsky.social

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Autocracies win the minds of the democratic public: how Japanese citizens are persuaded by illiberal narratives propagated by authoritarian regimes 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 a...

“Autocracies Win the Minds of the Democratic Public: How Japanese Citizens are Persuaded by Illiberal Narratives”

by Tetsuro Kobayashi, @yuanzhouir.bsky.social @lungtaseki.bsky.social & Asako Miura in @democratization.bsky.social (2025)

#AutumnReading

A fear dictator who is spinning? Conceptualizing authoritarian responses to digital uptake through the case study of information control in Belarus Contemporary authoritarian regimes increasingly rely on digital technologies in their information control strategies, such as censorship, surveillance, and propaganda. However, the digital transfor...

How do “fear dictators” become “spin dictators” once societies go online? My new open-access article in @democratization.bsky.social traces how the Lukashenka regime in #Belarus and its bureaucracy have retooled their information control in response to #digital uptake: doi.org/10.1080/1351...

Democracy promotion in times of autocratization: a conceptual note Following the third wave of democratization, democracy and its proponents have recently experienced a shift towards autocratization. To date, however, little is known about the impact of this trend...

“Democracy Promotion in Times of Autocratization: A Conceptual Note.”

by Sonja Grimm, Brigitte Weiffen & @kmross.bsky.social in @democratization.bsky.social (2025)

#WinterReading

From the streets to the ballots: protests, polls and polarization in Hong Kong Social movement research indicates that protests can influence voting behaviour through several informational and psychological mechanisms. Yet, we know little about the individual variation in how...

I’m very happy to share that the first paper of my PhD, «From the streets to the ballots: Protests, polls and Polarization in Hong Kong» has been published online in @democratization.bsky.social

It is open access, and you can read it here:
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Diffusion of digital authoritarian practices in China’s neighbourhood: the cases of Iran and Pakistan 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 t...

“Diffusion of Digital Authoritarian Practices in China’s Neighbourhood: The Cases of Iran and Pakistan.”

by Galib Bashirov, Shahram Akbarzadeh, @ihsanylmz.bsky.social and Zahid Shahab Ahmed

in @democratization.bsky.social (2025)

#AutumnReading

China’s active defence against democracy promotion: a conceptual analysis This article examines the Xi Jinping regime’s strategic intent behind its activities that, in effect, facilitate the global autocratization trend. I argue that the Xi regime’s ideological policies ...

"China’s Active Defence Against Democracy Promotion: A Conceptual Analysis"

by Sungmin Cho in @democratization.bsky.social ‪‪‬(2025)

#AutumnReading

📄 🚨 New Research on Polarization, Fragmentation, and Democracy in @democratization.bsky.social

Nils-Christian Bormann and I explore the impact of ideological polarization and fragmentation on the democratic systems of interwar Europe: lnkd.in/erjJr9qF
#polarization #democracy #data #history (1/4)

"Populists before power: delegitimization strategies against independent judiciaries" by Philipp Köker, Tilko Swalve, Merle Huber, Christoph Hönnige and Dominic Nyhuis Abstract: Research on the dangers of authoritarian populism for liberal democracy has almost exclusively focused on “populists in power” and those cases where dramatic changes have occurred. However, there is a notable gap in understanding the strategies and dangers of “populists before power”. We argue that authoritarian populists also pose a threat where they cannot effect constitutional change. By using “delegitimization strategies” they can significantly weaken liberal democratic institutions through a systematic erosion of public trust. Focusing on independent judiciaries as targets, we illustrate how attacks that link criticism of decisions, judges and judicial institutions with narratives of systemic failure may unfold and highlight the value of delegitimization within the larger populist tool kit. Thereby, the paper lays the conceptual foundation for an integrated research agenda on “populist before power”, including counter-reactions to delegitimization attempts, and contributes to the growing literature on the relationship between populism and democracy.

We have page numbers 🥳 Independent #judiciaries around the world are under threat from authoritarian #populists - but the threat starts long before these actors enter office! More on the dangers of "populists before power" 👉👉👉 doi.org/10.1080/1351... #OpenAccess @democratization.bsky.social

The frenemy within: populism’s dual role in democratization Different approaches to democracy and populism lead to varied conclusions about their relationship. Some see populism as a threat to democracy, while others argue that it can contribute to democrat...

Excited to share my latest co-authored article with @toygarsinanbaykan.bsky.social in @democratization.bsky.social
“The Frenemy Within: Populism’s Dual Role in Democratization”
We explore how populism can both revive and erode democracy.
🔗 tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
@lse-ei.bsky.social

Populists before power: delegitimization strategies against independent judiciaries Research on the dangers of authoritarian populism for liberal democracy has almost exclusively focused on “populists in power” and those cases where dramatic changes have occurred. However, there i...

Mehr Informationen auch in unserem Aufsatz zu “Populists before power” in @democratization.bsky.social 👉 doi.org/10.1080/1351... und meinem Beitrag im @verfassungsblog.de 👉 verfassungsblog.de/delegitimier...

Democratic regression in comparative perspective: scope, methods, and causes Between 1974 and 2005, a majority of states became democratic for the first time in history. However, a global democratic recession began in 2006 and has persisted – and deepened – over the past 14...

📈 Larry Diamond’s “Democratic regression in comparative perspective” just hit T&F’s top Altmetric scores last week!
📖 Free to access through August: doi.org/10.1080/1351...
📊 Score details: www.altmetric.com/details/9064...

Concerned with conflicts over political liberties & the regime in federal states?
Just out in @democratization.bsky.social
- A new, regime-change driven „genotype of secession“.
- How it mattered in the breakup of the Soviet Union & Yugoslavia.
Is California next? www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

🇹🇳Me complace compartir nuestro nuevo artículo con @mhlarramendi.bsky.social y Antonio Alfonso:
“Voting with dissatisfaction: An analysis of the 2019 parliamentart election in Tunisia”
t.co/Y0CXK79EHf en @democratization.bsky.social
#Túnez @pablodeolavide.upo.es @humanidadesto.bsky.social

Democratic progress and women’s issue representation: evidence from the South Korean National Assembly, 1948–2022 How does democratic progress affect the evolution of women’s issues? Although previous studies showed the significance of democratic transition in mainstreaming women’s issues, little is known abou...

Now with page number! This article contends that women’s issues change as democracy deepens, and yet the relationship is not always linear but dynamic. We show it with 80 years of legislative debates in SK doi.org/10.1080/1351...

Civil society organizations in intelligence accountability: democratic ideals and practical limitations This study addresses a gap in Intelligence Studies by conducting an empirical investigation into how various civil society actors perceive their role in promoting accountability within the intellig...

How do authoritarian regimes wield tech? ‪‪@daraconduit.bsky.social‬ shows Iran’s digital authoritarianism isn’t just repression—it’s a state-building tool shaped by domestic political economy. Essential reading on authoritarian innovation. doi.org/10.1080/1351...

@williamhatu.bsky.social examines predictors for support for military rule. Perceived executive violation of the law, corruption in the president’s office + president’s underperformance influence support for military rule with trust in military as underlying factor. doi.org/10.1080/1351...

Think contested leadership races turn voters away? Think again. Competitive primaries aren't just democratic—they can also be an electoral asset. Javier Astudillo & @tonirodon.bsky.social @upf.edu doi.org/10.1080/1351...

What is a #regime? The answer is not as straightforward as it might seem, but is crucial for understanding how regimes operate and transform. Identifying procedural, actor-centred, and sociological approaches to regimes. @catherineowen.bsky.social #CEDARhttps://doi.org/10.1080/13510347.2025.2483418

How vulnerable are democracies to authoritarian influence? T Kobayashi, @yuanzhouir.bsky.social et al. find that illiberal narratives from China & Russia shape public opinion more strongly than mainstream democratic narratives—even when both are presented together. doi.org/10.1080/1351...

“Politics unusual”? Bobi Wine, People Power, and the ideology of popular opposition in Uganda What key ideas animate contemporary political movements in Africa, and how do they challenge—or reproduce—dominant (neo)liberal conceptions of democracy, development, and international relations? T...

Bobi Wine’s rise in Uganda isn’t a break from liberal norms—it’s a reassertion. This article by Luke Melchiorre shows how People Power draws from liberalism despite its revolutionary tone, challenging assumptions about African populism. doi.org/10.1080/1351...

Title page and abstract for the paper "Populists before power: delegitimization strategies against independent judiciaries" by Philipp Köker, Tilko Swalve, Merle Huber, Christoph Hönnige and Dominic Nyhuis. An open access version of the paper is available at https://doi.org/10.1080/13510347.2025.2470765

New paper with Tilko Swalve, Merle Huber, Christoph Hönnige & @donyhu.bsky.social now out in @democratization.bsky.social 🥳 We argue that we need to look more closely at the threats to liberal democracy posed by authoritarian “populists before power” 🚨
doi.org/10.1080/1351...