Authoritarianism in the 21st Century: From Fear to Spin – How Dictatorship is Changing

IIEA Talks

In his address to the IIEA, Professor Treisman discusses his recent book Spin Dictators: The Changing Face of Tyranny in the 21st Century. He discusses how a new type of authoritarian regime has emerged which is better adapted to ruling sophisticated, globally-connected societies. These authoritarian regimes rely less on violent repression and instead rely more heavily on the manipulation of information. Professor Treisman discusses how strongman leaders use spin and information manipulation to cement their rule – and also explains why they sometimes revert to harsher methods. About the Speaker: Daniel Treisman is a Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Los Angeles, Acting Director of the UCLA Center for European and Russian Studies, and Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research. He is a former editor of The American Political Science Review and he has been a consultant for the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and USAID. His latest book, co-authored with Sergei Guriev, is Spin Dictators: The Changing Face of Tyranny in the 21st Century. The book was listed as one of the “Best Books of 2022” (The New Yorker, Foreign Affairs), “Best Political Books of 2022” (Financial Times), and “Books That Made Us Think in 2022” (The Atlantic, Moment).