Research Team: Lia Feliz, Ariella Reid, Eimi Sanchez, Cat Williams
Critical Insights for Activists
The Cultural Context of Tyranny:: Authoritarian regimes thrive when there is "cultural acceptance" of tyrannical values, often framed as "restoring order".
Psychological Causes:: Modern authoritarianism often stems from perceived social threats, leading individuals to seek "strongman" leaders to protect group status.
Information Control:: Historically, takeovers begin by controlling university curricula and punishing dissenting professors.
Economic Manipulation:: Leaders use "economic nationalism" to gain support from marginalized populations, even when the policies eventually harm them.
Urgent Research Gaps
Non-Imperial Narratives:: We need studies from non-imperial regions, like Mexico, regarding resistance to authoritarian economic policies.
Digital Storytelling:: Exploring how families use social media to maintain narratives of resistance.
Academic References (APA)
Hussain, S., & Ahmad, A. (2020). The Rise of Authoritarianism in the 21st Century and the World Order. *Journal of Contemporary Studies*, 9(1), 64-85.
Osborne, D., Costello, T. H., Duckitt, J., & Sibley, C. G. (2023). The psychological causes and societal consequences of authoritarianism. *Nature reviews psychology*, 2(4), 220-232.