International State Relations

Courage is contagious. But how do we catch it? For the past few months, Ami Fields-Meyer and I have been asking dissidents and activists from around the world for advice on challenging authoritarianism. We assembled their lessons into what we think of as a field guide to courage. https://lnkd.in/exiDMFav Here’s what we found: Lesson 1: It Can Be Done. The most hopeful thing we learned is that authoritarianism can be toppled by just 3.5% of the population. (https://lnkd.in/ezREPpcY) “All power holders, even the most ruthless and corrupt, rely on the consent and cooperation of ordinary people,” Maria Stephan told us. We must deny them that cooperation. Lesson 2:  Clean-Up Your Life. Authoritarians use minor scandals to discredit opponents. You can make it harder for them by cleaning up your digital life:   ✔️Delete Old Social Media Posts.  ✔️Use Encrypted and Disappearing Messaging.  ✔️Remove your Data from Data Brokers. https://cyd.social/ https://lnkd.in/e9Kqj9rU Lesson 3: Compliance. Authoritarians will use any minor infraction to persecute enemies. So comply with tax laws, traffic laws, annoying paperwork etc. Minor investigations are part of the government’s strategy to “never talk about the substance of the issues,” Hungarian dissident Sandor Lederer told us. Lesson 4: Compartmentalization. Authoritarian regimes rely on snitches. So keep your mouth shut with people you don’t trust fully. As one dissident in exile told us: “Don’t brag about your activism. I've seen so many guys bragging and now they're in jail.” Your technology can betray you, too. So having trustworthy and less trustworthy devices can help limit the data that might get swept up in an investigation. Lesson 5: Community. The best defense against authoritarianism is solidarity. People who stick together cannot as easily be oppressed. “They want us to be so afraid. The only way to counter fear is with joy,” @keyachatterjee.bsky.social told us. I call these principles a Threat Model for Opposing Authoritarianism: https://lnkd.in/eNvWGMq6

In my new policy paper, “Beyond Defence: A Proactive Strategy for the West in the Information Domain”, published by the International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS), I argue that liberal democracies must move from reactive resilience to strategic initiative in the information space. Authoritarian regimes, particularly Russia and China, have spent years refining their influence operations, exploiting our openness, and eroding public trust. Meanwhile, democratic responses remain fragmented, underfunded, and bound by processes that our adversaries see as weaknesses. In this paper, I outline how the West can reclaim the initiative through: - Strategic autonomy in the information domain, reducing dependence on US political fluctuations - Pre-bunking and proactive communication, not just fact-checking after the damage is done - Intelligence-led monitoring of disinformation ecosystems - Ethical offensive information operations that expose authoritarian corruption and hypocrisy - Empowering civil society as agile “force multipliers” on the information frontlines Read the full ICDS policy paper here: https://lnkd.in/dczv8vKz

As the Trump administration tries to dismantle Federal agencies and the public services they provide, civil society can fill some of these gaps and challenge the democratic backsliding we are witnessing. The scientific community has a key role to play in building independent science activities (https://lnkd.in/eYcau7Ga). In a new Nonprofit Quarterly piece, Saul Levin and I argue that drawing from history, we can apply these time-tested strategy of building parallel institutions to undermine authoritarian threats. “One strategy that has been especially effective across diverse geographic, cultural, and political contexts is building parallel institutions: filling the voids of government functions, services, and resources created by authoritarian regimes and their abandonment of obligations to the people. By showing government shortcomings instead of just talking about them, then organizing regular people to help fill those gaps, parallel institutions build alternative power and influence. From Brazil to Ukraine and India to Sudan, parallel institutions have been effective at safely and peacefully undermining authoritarian control by taking care of people where the government won’t.” https://lnkd.in/e8t-wvzE

✊ How to Take Down an Authoritarian Regime Using Nonviolent Resistance? ✊ Yesterday we had a great conversation at Georgetown University Walsh School of Foreign Service with Srdja Popovic—the visionary behind the Otpor movement that brought down Milosevic in the 90s. Popovic has since trained thousands of activists worldwide on using strategic nonviolence to challenge authoritarian rule. Here are some key takeaways from our discussion on how to effectively fight dictatorships without violence: ✅ Unify Around a Vision – A movement must be for something, not just against. Clear goals and a concrete plan for the “day after” victory are essential. ✅ Commit to Nonviolent Discipline – Violence alienates public support and legitimizes crackdowns. Maintaining peaceful resistance is critical. ✅ Make Activism Engaging & Creative – Humor, street theater, and innovative tactics can expand participation and weaken opponents' grip. ✅ Start Small, Build Momentum – Secure early, achievable victories to demonstrate effectiveness and mobilize more supporters before challenging systemic structures. ✅ Strategically Shift Power Dynamics – Rather than direct confrontation, analyze where the regime’s support base is vulnerable and find ways to erode that support. ✅ Disrupt Key Pillars of Support – Authoritarian regimes rely on institutions like police, military, media, and bureaucracy. By reducing their cooperation or shifting their allegiance, movements can undermine authoritarian control. ✅ Clear Branding & Messaging – The cause should be simple, compelling, and easy to rally behind for the general public. ✅ Invest in Training & Organization – Success requires more than spontaneous protests—movements need structured planning, training, and skill-building to sustain momentum. This conversation reinforced a crucial lesson: authoritarianism is not invincible—with strategy, discipline, and unity, people can dismantle oppressive systems nonviolently. #NonviolentResistance #Leadership #Democracy #SocialChange #Activism #HumanRights #Strategy #PoliticalMovements #Authoritarianism #PowerOfThePeople #GeorgetownUniversity #MovementBuilding #GlobalChange #PeacefulProtest #ChangeMakers #DemocraticLeadership

👉👉 Think Tanks in an Age of Rising Authoritarianism: Adaptation or Resistance? The numbers tell a stark story: a growing share of the world’s population lives under authoritarian rule. Think tanks operating in these environments face critical challenges—how to survive, influence policy, and uphold their values when governments seek to control, suppress, or co-opt independent research. Some authoritarian or highly centralised regimes embrace research-based evidence and allow think tanks to thrive—albeit within boundaries. China, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore have integrated policy research institutions into their governance structures. But for think tanks in weaker, transitioning, or hybrid regimes, the risks are higher. Governments see independent research as a threat, deploying financial restrictions, smear campaigns, or even legal action to silence critical voices. 🧐 The Moral Dilemma: Work Within or Outside the System? 🧐 Engaging with authoritarian governments can allow think tanks to provide crucial evidence for policymaking. But at what cost? Does collaboration risk legitimising repressive regimes? Or does disengagement abandon policymakers and citizens who rely on evidence to push for better policies? Some have opted to withdraw from government spaces to protect their credibility. Others argue that staying engaged—even in a limited capacity—is necessary to support reform-minded policymakers and serve the public good. ☞ Survival Strategies Think tanks working in increasingly restrictive environments must adapt. Some options include: 🔹 Framing research in technical, neutral terms to avoid political confrontation 🔹 Diversifying funding sources to reduce dependency on foreign grants 🔹 Strengthening governance, transparency, and security to protect against state interference 🔹 Partnering with universities, businesses, or even religious institutions for added protection 🔹 Expanding regional or global work to shift attention away from sensitive domestic issues ☞What Can Funders Do? Funders also face tough choices. Supporting think tanks in authoritarian contexts requires careful strategies, such as: ✅ Providing unrestricted, core funding to enhance resilience ✅ Offering indirect or anonymous funding mechanisms to shield grantees ✅ Investing in security—both digital and physical—for think tankers under threat ✅ Advocating for policy protections at the international level ✅ Encouraging domestic philanthropy to reduce reliance on foreign donors Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/efPR6_Zt If your think tank is facing these challenges, we want to hear from you. Let’s share insights, strategies, and lessons learned. #ThinkTanks #PolicyResearch #Authoritarianism #CivicSpace #EvidenceInformedPolicy

'1. Do not obey in advance. Most of the power of authoritarianism is freely given. In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and then offer themselves without being asked. A citizen who adapts in this way is teaching power what it can do. 2. Defend institutions. It is institutions that help us to preserve decency. They need our help as well. Do not speak of "our institutions" unless you make them yours by acting on their behalf. Institutions do not protect themselves. They fall one after the other unless each is defended from the beginning. So choose an institution you care about -- a court, a newspaper, a law, a labor union -- and take its side. 3. Beware the one-party state. The parties that remade states and suppressed rivals were not omnipotent from the start. They exploited a historic moment to make political life impossible for their opponents. So support the multiple-party system and defend the rules of democratic elections. Vote in local and state elections while you can. Consider running for office. 4. Take responsibility for the face of the world. The symbols of today enable the reality of tomorrow. Notice the swastikas and the other signs of hate. Do not look away, and do not get used to them. Remove them yourself and set an example for others to do so. 5. Remember professional ethics. When political leaders set a negative example, professional commitments to just practice become more important. It is hard to subvert a rule-of-law state without lawyers, or to hold show trials without judges. Authoritarians need obedient civil servants, and concentration camp directors seek businessmen interested in cheap labor.' Timothy Snyder https://lnkd.in/g2Dxy574