Resources
Resources
Browse resources on authoritarian sharp power and its effects on the integrity of institutions and globalized spaces.
0 Filters Applied
Source: Jerusalem Post
Publication Date: September 28, 2023
Sweden Accuses Iran of Targeted ‘Misinformation’ about Quran Burnings
Authoritarian Country: Iran, Russia
Affected Region: Europe, Sweden
Author: Seth J. Frantzman
Iran and Russia-backed disinformation campaigns have used recent Quran burnings to manipulate sentiments in Sweden. Fearing the effects of these malign efforts, the Swedish government has tasked its Agency for Psychological Defense with countering these campaigns.
Source: U.S. Department of State
Publication Date: September 27, 2023
How the People’s Republic of China Seeks to Reshape the Global Information Environment
Authoritarian Country: China
Affected Region: Global
The PRC has sought to shape the global information landscape in its favor through information manipulation, intimidation, co-opting journalists and enabling digital authoritarianism with cutting-edge technology.
Source: Center for European Policy Analysis
Publication Date: September 25, 2023
Moldova’s President Calls Out Russian Meddling
Authoritarian Country: Russia
Affected Region: Europe, Moldova
Author: Ahshish Kumar Sen
Moldova has sought support of the EU and international community to safeguard its democratic processes against Russian subversion. Russian tactics include election interference, disinformation, and economic blackmail.
Source: Foreign Policy Research Institute
Publication Date: September 18, 2023
China’s Belt and Road Initiative: Politics Over Economics
Authoritarian Country: China
Affected Region: Global
Author: Felix K. Chang
China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been expected to enter a new phase following the PRC’s Third BRI Forum in October 2023. With over 150 countries participating in the BRI, China’s plans for its signature initiative have appeared increasingly political and less focused on infrastructure development.
Source: Middle East Institute
Publication Date: September 2, 2023
Iran Gleefully Eyes the Protests in Israel, Looking for Weaknesses to Exploit
Authoritarian Country: Iran
Affected Region: Middle East and North Africa, Israel
Author: Jason M. Brodsky
In addition to violent intervention through proxy militia groups, Iran has used cyber interference to exacerbate political rifts in Israeli society and advance Iranian interests. Iran-backed disinformation campaigns have misled high-level officials and target Israelis across the political spectrum.
Source: Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Publication Date: October 30, 2023
HispanTV Is Iran’s Propaganda Arm in Latin America; Why Is It Still Being Broadcast?
Authoritarian Country: Iran
Affected Region: Latin America and the Caribbean
Author: Emanuele Ottolenghi, Marina Rosenberg
HispanTV, Iran’s Spanish-language media outlet, has spread disinformation to influence global narratives surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict. The state of Iran has used HispanTV as a platform to defend Hamas, espouse antisemitic rhetoric, and glorify violence.
Source: The Times
Publication Date: October 20, 2023
How Iran is Spreading Disinformation in Britain
Authoritarian Country: Iran
Affected Region: Europe, United Kingdom
Author: Fiona Hamilton, Tom Witherow
Iran has mobilized British elites, academic institutions, and social media to influence Britain’s information ecosystem surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Source: The Diplomat
Publication Date: October 17, 2023
Indonesia, China Vow to Expand Economic Cooperation
Authoritarian Country: China
Affected Region: Asia-Pacific, Indonesia
Author: Sebastian Strangio
The third Belt and Road Forum, in October 2023, demonstrated that many Southeast Asian leaders see China as the key to their nations’ prosperity, helping them to build infrastructure and adopt new technologies. That dependence may discourage leaders from challenging China’s anti-democratic rhetoric.
Source: New York Times
Publication Date: October 11, 2018
Museums Forced to Reassess Saudi Ties Amid Uproar Over Journalist’s Fate
Authoritarian Country: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates
Affected Region: North America, United States
Author: Robin Pogrebin, Sopan Deb
Prominent New York museums have accepted funding from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi governments, even after the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and despite labor concerns in the UAE. Most museums maintained these relationships after the murder, allowing the regimes’ influence to persist unchecked.
Source: Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project
Publication Date: November 1, 2022
Documents Reveal Wagner’s Golden Ties to Sudanese Military Companies
Authoritarian Country: Russia
Affected Region: Sub-Saharan Africa, Sudan
Author: Khadija Sharife, Lara Dihmis, Erin Klazar
Companies linked to Russia’s Wagner Group have maintained and expanded their influence in Sudan’s gold mining sector through a partnership with local military companies. In exchange for weapons and advisors, Wagner was given gold and mining rights, not subject to Western sanctions.
Source: The Diplomat
Publication Date: November 15, 2023
China’s Expanding Health Diplomacy in Indonesia
Authoritarian Country: China
Affected Region: Asia-Pacific, Indonesia
Author: Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat, Yeta Purnama
While the Chinese and Indonesian government began cooperating during the COVID-19 pandemic on vaccine distribution, Beijing has recently increased its investment in Indonesia’s health sector to push back against negative perceptions of China among a majority of Indonesians.
Source: Balkan Insight
Publication Date: March 28, 2023
Montenegro Signs Contract With Chinese Company to Build Coastal Highway
Authoritarian Country: China
Affected Region: Europe, Montenegro
Author: Samir Kajosevic
The government of Montenegro partnered with a Chinese corporation that is known for maintaining secrecy in other regional projects. This lack of accountability is characteristic of Chinese Belt and Road Initiative infrastructure projects.
Source: Center for European Policy Analysis
Publication Date: March 26, 2023
Europe Fights Back Against Chinese and Russian “Elite Capture”
Authoritarian Country: China
Affected Region: Europe, Italy
Author: Gabriele Carrer
China’s investments in European businesses opened opportunities for elite capture by offering jobs or board appointments to retired politicians and other influential individuals. In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Italy has taken a more skeptical look at these investments.
Source: Foreign Policy Research Institute
Publication Date: March 22, 2023
China is Finally Making Progress on the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway
Authoritarian Country: China
Affected Region: Eurasia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan
Author: Niva Yau, Tsz Yan
Beijing secured the rights to build a new railway linking Xinjiang with Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan after many delays. The new project could advance China’s geopolitical interests and secure support among Central Asian elites for Chinese legitimacy claims in Xinjiang .
Publication Date: March 22, 2023
China, Russia Target Audiences Online With Deep Fakes, Replica Front Pages
Authoritarian Country: China, Russia
Affected Region: Global
Author: Liam Scott
Concern has grown over Russia and China’s use of AI to impersonate trusted international media outlets and personalities in bids to manipulate information around the globe. Researchers anticipate the volume and quality of deep fakes to intensify, contributing to a further erosion of trust in media.