Digital Repression

Repression research examines the causes and consequences of actions that are meant to, or actually do, raise the costs of activism, protest, and/or social movement activity. The rise of digital and social media has brought substantial increases in attention to the repression of digital activists and movements (e.g., violence against online activists), the deployment of new strategies for repression enabled by digital and social media (e.g., digital surveillance and social credit schemes), and the development of information strategies designed to diminish the effectiveness of social mobilization (e.g., influence campaigns). This Ph.D. seminar explores a fast growing body of research spread across disciplines and areas of study to better understand what constitutes digital repression and what is new about digital repression. Email instructor for consent.