Authoritarianism
The use of federal troops to quell Los Angeles protests recalls militarized law enforcement during the Civil Rights Movement
The use of federal troops to quell Los Angeles protests recalls militarized law enforcement during the Civil Rights Movement The use of federal troops to quell Los Angeles protests over immigration raids without state approval recalls militarized law enforcement during the Civil Rights Movement. President Donald Trump has activated 4,000 National Guard troops and sent […]
🏛️ Politics
Antagonism to transgender rights is tied to the authoritarian desire for social conformity – not just partisan affiliation
Antagonism to transgender rights is tied to the authoritarian desire for social conformity – not just partisan affiliation A majority of Americans support restricting the rights of transgender Americans, with 53 bills introduced in the U.S. Congress and over 900 bills introduced in 49 states aiming to limit their rights. The support for these measures […]
🏛️ Politics
Autocrats don’t act like Hitler or Stalin anymore − instead of governing with violence, they use manipulation
Autocrats don’t act like Hitler or Stalin anymore − instead of governing with violence, they use manipulation Modern autocrats use manipulation and spin to gain and maintain power, rather than relying on violence or overt repression. The term “informational autocracy” or “spin dictatorship” describes this approach, where leaders craft an image of competence and democratic […]
🏛️ Politics
Trump’s aggressive actions against free speech speak a lot louder than his words defending it
Trump’s aggressive actions against free speech speak a lot louder than his words defending it Harvard University has sued the Trump administration, claiming that pressure campaigns to force viewpoint diversity on campus violate the Constitution’s guarantees of free speech. The Trump administration has taken aggressive actions against free speech, including targeting law firms and attorneys […]
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About one third of young adults are skeptical about democracy
About one third of young adults are skeptical about democracy Approximately one-third of young adults (31%) in the US do not buy into the value of democracy, have little confidence that the system works, and show higher support for authoritarian governments. The same group has low levels of media literacy, lowest educational attainment, and are […]
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Make Russia Medieval Again! How Putin is seeking to remold society, with a little help from Ivan the Terrible
Make Russia Medieval Again! How Putin is seeking to remold society, with a little help from Ivan the Terrible Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government has undergone a state-driven process of revisionism to reevaluate the historical legacy of Ivan the Terrible, portraying him as a great statesman and devout Russian Orthodox Christian who laid the foundations […]
🏛️ Politics
US swing toward autocracy doesn’t have to be permanent – but swinging back to democracy requires vigilance, stamina and elections
US swing toward autocracy doesn’t have to be permanent – but swinging back to democracy requires vigilance, stamina and elections The United States is no longer a democracy. At least, that’s the verdict of one nonprofit, the Center for Systemic Peace, which measures regime qualities of countries worldwide based on the competitiveness and integrity of […]
🏛️ Politics
First year of Georgia’s ‘foreign agent’ law shows how autocracies are replicating Russian model − and speeding up the time frame
First year of Georgia’s ‘foreign agent’ law shows how autocracies are replicating Russian model − and speeding up the time frame Demonstrators protest the foreign influence law in front of the Georgian Parliament building on May 28, 2024. Nicolo Vincenzo Malvestuto/Getty Images Autocracy is on the move worldwide and becoming more resilient. One of the […]
🏛️ Politics
An artist traces her choices under Putin’s Russia – from resistance to retreat to exile – one mural at a time
An artist traces her choices under Putin’s Russia – from resistance to retreat to exile – one mural at a time 'Atlases,' Victoria Lomasko's mural at Miami University Used by permission of Victoria Lomasko Victoria Lomasko, a graphic artist and muralist, has spent her career documenting how authoritarianism took hold in Vladimir Putin’s Russia. What […]
🏛️ Politics
What happens when leaders have loyalists in charge of men with guns: Lessons for the US from Nicaragua, Syria and other authoritarian countries
What happens when leaders have loyalists in charge of men with guns: Lessons for the US from Nicaragua, Syria and other authoritarian countries Syrian army special forces in 2005, wearing pictures of their president, Bashar Assad, his father, Hafez, and brother, Basil, on their uniform, stand guard at a Lebanese military air base. Patrick Baz/AFP […]
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