Authoritarian Political Systems Group

Don't miss our next workshop! Join us tomorrow for a conversation on authoritarian linkages and repression!

Join the team! We are recruiting new members! Our MissionThe Authoritarian Political Systems Group (APSG) brings together researchers studying authoritarian politics across the globe. The APSG mission is to advan…

Do you want to become part of the APSG team?
There is still time to apply!
We welcome applications from people in all levels of the academic career, working in any place, and researching any aspect of authoritarian politics.
For more info: apsg.work/join-the-team/

Join us next week!
On March 10, Liza Popkova (@au.dk) will present "Authoritarian linkages and diffusion of repression".
The discussion will be in charge of @rgolar23.bsky.social (@dublincityuni.bsky.social) and @debremaria.bsky.social (Zeppelin).
See you then!

Book cover. Includes an image of tanks in front of the Brazilian Congress and the title: Lawmaking under Authoritarianism. Factions, Institutions, and Outcomes Across Dictatorships

New Publication Alert!
Why are legislatures in some authoritarian regimes more powerful and influential than in others?
In their book, Alejandro Bonvecchi and @emisimison.bsky.social answer this question by analysing past dictatorships in Argentina, Brazil, and Spain
www.cambridge.org/9781009676243

New publication!

Fascinating new book by @ascharpf.bsky.social and Christian Glaessel shows how notorious phenomena of authoritarianism are triggered by banal career problems.
Essential reading for anyone interested in how authoritarian organizations and regimes work
global.oup.com/academic/pro...

Our February Newsletter is out!

To receive the next one, subscribe at: mailchi.mp/fe045331c9c7...

And if you have anything to share, let us know here: forms.gle/wMqEnjAgJyxq...

Join the team! We are recruiting new members! Our MissionThe Authoritarian Political Systems Group (APSG) brings together researchers studying authoritarian politics across the globe. The APSG mission is to advan…

Do you want to become part of the APSG team?
We are recruiting up to two new members!
We welcome applications from people in all levels of the academic career, working in any place, and researching any aspect of authoritarian politics.
For more information: apsg.work/join-the-team/

Join us next week!
On February 24, @gmelios.bsky.social (LSE) will present "Propaganda, party mobilisation and Electoral Oppression".
@felixhaass.bsky.social (Humboldt), @serkant.bsky.social (Sabancı), & @sofiavasilopoulou.bsky.social (@kingscollegelondon.bsky.social) will comment.

Call for papers still open!
Workshop on what drives individuals to comply voluntarily in vaccine uptake, military service, and other areas, and what alternative measures are used when voluntary efforts fall short.
Aarhus, Denmark, 9–10 June 2026.
For more info: bit.ly/4qXPiKe

Join us tomorrow!!

New publication!
Collecting data is key for social science. @adridelrio.bsky.social, Woseeok Kim, @chknutsen.bsky.social, @anjaneundorf.bsky.social, Agustina S. Paglayan & @eugenian.bsky.social suggest how to enhance transparency and replicability based on education datasets
tinyurl.com/yskszsdt

Beautiful authoritarianism: contributions of the leader’s wife in Egypt and Jordan 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 ...

New Publication Alert!
"Beautiful authoritarianism: contributions of the leader’s wife in Egypt and Jordan" by Mustafa Menshawy is out in Third World Quarterly
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Closing the season on May 5, @liviosilva.bsky.social (@weatherheadcenter.bsky.social) and Henrique Sposito (Bern) will present "Does democratic backsliding defund the liberal world order?" Anna M. Meyerrose (Arizona State) and @ccottiero.bsky.social (Utah) will discuss.

On April 21, @nvasilenok.bsky.social (Stanford) will present "Reading Orwell in Moscow" and @sgehlbach.bsky.social (Chicago) and @eugenian.bsky.social (@liverpooluni.bsky.social) will discuss.

Join us next week!
Anirvan Chowdhury (Lousville) will present "Parties against Democracy: How Ruling Parties Subvert Inclusion to Entrench Dominance".
@alexandermlee.bsky.social (@urochester.bsky.social) and
@bhumi.bsky.social (Georgetown) will discuss.

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...

Understanding Generational Shifts and Democratic Support in China: Value Change Vs. Life Satisfaction Generational change is often viewed as a key driver of major sociopolitical transformation, yet there is little consensus on why generations differ in their political attitudes. This lack of agreem...

New Publication!

Are younger Chinese more democratic?
Using nationwide survey data, Chen, Huhe, & Lint show that post-economic takeoff cohorts express lower democratic support, largely because of higher perceived material well-being—not declining democratic values
doi.org/10.1080/1067...

New publication alert!
Contra common narrative, recent authoritarian moves by President Sall of Senegal have ample precedent in the country's political history - but so do civil society efforts to defeat them.
Read Alioune Ngom & @ricarthuguet.bsky.social doi.org/10.1093/afra...

Our first newsletter of the year is out!
To stay updated on the APSG community, subscribe here: mailchi.mp/fe045331c9c7...
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sign-up APSG

The workshops are held via Teams. Everyone in our mailing list receives the logging in information the week before the event. You can subscribe here: mailchi.mp/fe045331c9c7...

Join us next week for the first workshop of the season!

Join us next week to start the season!
@yezhang.bsky.social (@mitpolisci.bsky.social) presents "Political Control in the Workplace: How Autocrats Use Firms to Discipline Citizens". Lynette H Ong (@utoronto.ca), @woldense.bsky.social (Minnesota), & @linshengqiao.bsky.social (@utoronto.ca) discuss

Join us next week to start the season!
@yezhang.bsky.social (@mitpolisci.bsky.social) presents "Political Control in the Workplace: How Autocrats Use Firms to Discipline Citizens". Lynette H Ong (@utoronto.ca), @woldense.bsky.social (Minnesota), & @linshengqiao.bsky.social (@utoronto.ca) discuss

On April 7, @sahibjafarov.bsky.social (@utoronto.ca) will present "Defection in Silence: Theory of Elite Subversion in Authoritarian Regimes". The discussion will be lead by @annemeng.bsky.social (UVA) and Martin Dimitrov (@tulaneu.bsky.social)

March 24 will be time for @shirint.bsky.social (@weareceu.bsky.social) to present "Turnover and Turnout: Repercussions of Revolutions on Voting in Kyrgyzstan". Graeme Robertson (UNC) and Ksenia Northmore-Ball (@qmulsse.bsky.social) will discuss.

On March 10, Liza Popkova (@au.dk) will present "Authoritarian linkages and diffusion of repression". The discussants will be @rgolar23.bsky.social (@dublincityuni.bsky.social) and @debremaria.bsky.social (Zeppelin)

On February 24, @gmelios.bsky.social (LSE) will present "Propaganda, party mobilisation and Electoral Oppression". @felixhaass.bsky.social (Humboldt), @serkant.bsky.social (Sabancı), & @sofiavasilopoulou.bsky.social (@kingscollegelondon.bsky.social) will comment.

On February 10, Anirvan Chowdhury (Lousville) will present "Parties against Democracy: How Ruling Parties Subvert Inclusion to Entrench Dominance". @alexandermlee.bsky.social (@urochester.bsky.social) and @bhumi.bsky.social (Georgetown) will discuss.

Starting the season we have @yezhang.bsky.social (@mitpolisci.bsky.social) presenting "Political Control in the Workplace: How Autocrats Use Firms to Discipline Citizens". Lynette Hong (@utoronto.ca), @woldense.bsky.social (Minnesota), & @linshengqiao.bsky.social (@utoronto.ca) will discuss

Welcome to our Spring 2026 season!
To join any or all, remember to join our mailing list: mailchi.mp/fe045331c9c7...