A Double-Edge Sword? Mass Media and Nonviolent Dissent in Autocracies

@article{Gleditsch2022ADS,
  title={A Double-Edge Sword? Mass Media and Nonviolent Dissent in Autocracies},
  author={Kristian Skrede Gleditsch and Mart{\'i}n Mac{\'i}as-Medell{\'i}n and Mauricio Rivera},
  journal={Political Research Quarterly},
  year={2022},
  volume={76},
  pages={224 - 238}
}
It is often assumed that nondemocratic regimes will control mass media and suppress independent information, but in many autocracies the media are partially free and imperfectly controlled. We argue that partial media freedom can increase the prospects for mass nonviolent dissent. We develop a theory emphasizing how even less than perfectly free media outlets can increase the ability of individuals to coordinate and mobilize, and provide an informational endowment that can help non-state actors… 
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