Alex Dukalskis
@alexdukalskis.bsky.social
Research & teach on authoritarian states and human rights @ucdpolitics.bsky.social
Publications: https://tinyurl.com/bdfcnf8u
Academic Freedom Officer @psaireland.bsky.social & fmr Associate Editor @cpcs.bsky.social
Publications: https://tinyurl.com/bdfcnf8u
Academic Freedom Officer @psaireland.bsky.social & fmr Associate Editor @cpcs.bsky.social
Pinned
Dictating the Agenda: The Authoritarian Resurgence in World Politics
by me & @cooleyoneurasia.bsky.social is now published by OUP in the USA (rest of world soon)
If you are interested in why you see so many dictatorships & illiberal leaders influencing world politics then this is the book for you.
by me & @cooleyoneurasia.bsky.social is now published by OUP in the USA (rest of world soon)
If you are interested in why you see so many dictatorships & illiberal leaders influencing world politics then this is the book for you.
Reposted by Alex Dukalskis
1 Can't emphasize this enough. EU is home to multiple "second-tier" great powers — who are only "second-tier" because they chose not to make large investments in military capabilities — and is itself an economic & diplomatic great power. NATO is the most powerful security confederation in history.
It sure seems like Vance leads a faction that is enamored of 🇷🇺's cultivated cultural conservative "soft power", reflexively anti-Atlanticist, and stupid enough to think that wedging 🇷🇺-🇨🇳 is a) realistic and b) worth trashing our relationship with the world's third largest economy.
November 26, 2025 at 12:22 PM
1 Can't emphasize this enough. EU is home to multiple "second-tier" great powers — who are only "second-tier" because they chose not to make large investments in military capabilities — and is itself an economic & diplomatic great power. NATO is the most powerful security confederation in history.
Ouch
Despite these high stakes, Ireland has no dedicated intelligence agency, just four working navy vessels and the smallest defence budget in the EU. In fact, the only thing the Irish navy can do when it spots a suspicious ship lurking is say “hello”.
November 25, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Ouch
For all you Norwegian speakers out there, @cooleyoneurasia.bsky.social & I have a piece out in @aftenposten.no about the authoritarian resurgence in world politics.
Thanks to @nupinytt.bsky.social for facilitating!
Thanks to @nupinytt.bsky.social for facilitating!
Autoritære regimer former nå verdenspolitikken – i et system skapt av Vesten
Autoritær maktutøvelse er tilbake i en ny og kraftfull form.
www.aftenposten.no
November 25, 2025 at 1:20 PM
For all you Norwegian speakers out there, @cooleyoneurasia.bsky.social & I have a piece out in @aftenposten.no about the authoritarian resurgence in world politics.
Thanks to @nupinytt.bsky.social for facilitating!
Thanks to @nupinytt.bsky.social for facilitating!
“Ideological Topography in World Politics: A Guide to the End of the Unipolar-Homogenous Moment.”
by @justinscasey.bsky.social & @mrldolan.bsky.social in @isq-jrnl.bsky.social (2023)
#AutumnReading
by @justinscasey.bsky.social & @mrldolan.bsky.social in @isq-jrnl.bsky.social (2023)
#AutumnReading
Ideological Topography in World Politics: A Guide to the End of the Unipolar-Homogeneous Moment
Abstract. The immediate post–Cold War era was defined by the material and ideological dominance of the United States. Thirty years on, challenges to both t
academic.oup.com
November 24, 2025 at 8:25 PM
“Ideological Topography in World Politics: A Guide to the End of the Unipolar-Homogenous Moment.”
by @justinscasey.bsky.social & @mrldolan.bsky.social in @isq-jrnl.bsky.social (2023)
#AutumnReading
by @justinscasey.bsky.social & @mrldolan.bsky.social in @isq-jrnl.bsky.social (2023)
#AutumnReading
A lot of the political arguments you are having on social media aren’t real.
www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcn...
www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcn...
X's new location transparency feature unleashes questions about origins of MAGA accounts
The function, which shows that a slew of MAGA-branded accounts are apparently based outside the U.S., also stirred speculative outrage over where the Department of Homeland Security account was create...
www.nbcnews.com
November 24, 2025 at 6:48 PM
A lot of the political arguments you are having on social media aren’t real.
www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcn...
www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcn...
Seems like it might be a problem.
November 22, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Seems like it might be a problem.
Trump’s FBI director Kash Patel uses the bureau’s private jets + security detail to travel to concerts, hockey games & casinos. He reimburses the bureau at commercial rates for where he’s flying. In other words he pays like $250/week for permanent access to a private jet. Taxpayers pick up the tab.
How Kash Patel Is Changing The FBI’s Mission
Podcast Episode · Fresh Air · 11/19/2025 · 45m
podcasts.apple.com
November 22, 2025 at 8:41 AM
Trump’s FBI director Kash Patel uses the bureau’s private jets + security detail to travel to concerts, hockey games & casinos. He reimburses the bureau at commercial rates for where he’s flying. In other words he pays like $250/week for permanent access to a private jet. Taxpayers pick up the tab.
My guess: like a magnetic pull, sooner or later Trump will be drawn back to his instincts and fight Mamdani.
Remember a few weeks ago when he was reportedly so angry with Putin and ready to support Ukraine?
He does and says this kind of stuff then gets pulled back to his baseline.
Remember a few weeks ago when he was reportedly so angry with Putin and ready to support Ukraine?
He does and says this kind of stuff then gets pulled back to his baseline.
November 22, 2025 at 6:15 AM
My guess: like a magnetic pull, sooner or later Trump will be drawn back to his instincts and fight Mamdani.
Remember a few weeks ago when he was reportedly so angry with Putin and ready to support Ukraine?
He does and says this kind of stuff then gets pulled back to his baseline.
Remember a few weeks ago when he was reportedly so angry with Putin and ready to support Ukraine?
He does and says this kind of stuff then gets pulled back to his baseline.
“It's a grim moment for Ukraine. For many, their country is now under attack not just from Russia, but also from the US - which appears to support Vladimir Putin's maximalist demands.”
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin backs US plan for ending Ukraine war as Trump gives Kyiv deadline to accept
President Zelensky says Ukraine faces one of the most difficult moments in its history, as the White House pushes its plan.
www.bbc.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:11 PM
“It's a grim moment for Ukraine. For many, their country is now under attack not just from Russia, but also from the US - which appears to support Vladimir Putin's maximalist demands.”
Reposted by Alex Dukalskis
As part of a special issue of @iojournal.bsky.social w/ an amazing cast of scholars, Rebecca Cordell & I wrote a piece on the future of human rights given the rise of authoritarian powers and alliances.
Check out "Authoritarianism, Global Politics, and the Future of Human Rights" open access here:
Check out "Authoritarianism, Global Politics, and the Future of Human Rights" open access here:
Authoritarianism, Global Politics, and the Future of Human Rights | International Organization | Cambridge Core
Authoritarianism, Global Politics, and the Future of Human Rights - Volume 79 Issue S1
www.cambridge.org
November 20, 2025 at 2:55 PM
As part of a special issue of @iojournal.bsky.social w/ an amazing cast of scholars, Rebecca Cordell & I wrote a piece on the future of human rights given the rise of authoritarian powers and alliances.
Check out "Authoritarianism, Global Politics, and the Future of Human Rights" open access here:
Check out "Authoritarianism, Global Politics, and the Future of Human Rights" open access here:
As part of a special issue of @iojournal.bsky.social w/ an amazing cast of scholars, Rebecca Cordell & I wrote a piece on the future of human rights given the rise of authoritarian powers and alliances.
Check out "Authoritarianism, Global Politics, and the Future of Human Rights" open access here:
Check out "Authoritarianism, Global Politics, and the Future of Human Rights" open access here:
Authoritarianism, Global Politics, and the Future of Human Rights | International Organization | Cambridge Core
Authoritarianism, Global Politics, and the Future of Human Rights - Volume 79 Issue S1
www.cambridge.org
November 20, 2025 at 2:55 PM
As part of a special issue of @iojournal.bsky.social w/ an amazing cast of scholars, Rebecca Cordell & I wrote a piece on the future of human rights given the rise of authoritarian powers and alliances.
Check out "Authoritarianism, Global Politics, and the Future of Human Rights" open access here:
Check out "Authoritarianism, Global Politics, and the Future of Human Rights" open access here:
“(Don’t) Visit Rwanda: Rwanda’s Sportswashing and its Western Facilitators”
by Dubinsky, Itamar in African Studies Review (2025)
#AutumnReading
by Dubinsky, Itamar in African Studies Review (2025)
#AutumnReading
(Don’t) Visit Rwanda: Rwanda’s Sportswashing and Its Western Facilitators | African Studies Review | Cambridge Core
(Don’t) Visit Rwanda: Rwanda’s Sportswashing and Its Western Facilitators - Volume 68 Issue 2
www.cambridge.org
November 20, 2025 at 2:34 PM
“(Don’t) Visit Rwanda: Rwanda’s Sportswashing and its Western Facilitators”
by Dubinsky, Itamar in African Studies Review (2025)
#AutumnReading
by Dubinsky, Itamar in African Studies Review (2025)
#AutumnReading
Reception for Ronaldo in Ireland vs USA
November 20, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Reception for Ronaldo in Ireland vs USA
“Autocracies Win the Minds of the Democratic Public: How Japanese Citizens are Persuaded by Illiberal Narratives”
by Tetsuro Kobayashi, @yuanzhouir.bsky.social @lungtaseki.bsky.social & Asako Miura in @democratization.bsky.social (2025)
#AutumnReading
by Tetsuro Kobayashi, @yuanzhouir.bsky.social @lungtaseki.bsky.social & Asako Miura in @democratization.bsky.social (2025)
#AutumnReading
Autocracies win the minds of the democratic public: how Japanese citizens are persuaded by illiberal narratives propagated by authoritarian regimes
This study examines the persuasive effects of illiberal narratives on citizens in democratic countries in the context of increasing influence operations by authoritarian states, focusing on Japan a...
www.tandfonline.com
November 20, 2025 at 12:56 PM
“Autocracies Win the Minds of the Democratic Public: How Japanese Citizens are Persuaded by Illiberal Narratives”
by Tetsuro Kobayashi, @yuanzhouir.bsky.social @lungtaseki.bsky.social & Asako Miura in @democratization.bsky.social (2025)
#AutumnReading
by Tetsuro Kobayashi, @yuanzhouir.bsky.social @lungtaseki.bsky.social & Asako Miura in @democratization.bsky.social (2025)
#AutumnReading
Reposted by Alex Dukalskis
Our online special issue, The Future of Global Governance and World Order, is out!
It features 15 short essays plus the editors' introduction, all #OpenAccess.
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
#IOFoGG
It features 15 short essays plus the editors' introduction, all #OpenAccess.
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
#IOFoGG
November 20, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Our online special issue, The Future of Global Governance and World Order, is out!
It features 15 short essays plus the editors' introduction, all #OpenAccess.
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
#IOFoGG
It features 15 short essays plus the editors' introduction, all #OpenAccess.
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
#IOFoGG
Comrades Beyond the Cold War:
North Korea and the Liberation of Southern Africa
by @tavdhoog.bsky.social (2025) via @hurstpublishers.bsky.social
#AutumnReading
North Korea and the Liberation of Southern Africa
by @tavdhoog.bsky.social (2025) via @hurstpublishers.bsky.social
#AutumnReading
Comrades Beyond the Cold War | Hurst Publishers
A pioneering account of how African revolutionaries benefitted from North Korean aid in their struggles for independence--and how they repay this support today.
www.hurstpublishers.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:39 AM
Comrades Beyond the Cold War:
North Korea and the Liberation of Southern Africa
by @tavdhoog.bsky.social (2025) via @hurstpublishers.bsky.social
#AutumnReading
North Korea and the Liberation of Southern Africa
by @tavdhoog.bsky.social (2025) via @hurstpublishers.bsky.social
#AutumnReading
Reposted by Alex Dukalskis
China’s response to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s lack of ambiguity on Taiwan has been immediate and extreme, and it is threatening to turn a diplomatic spat into a regional crisis.
Our latest on the Japan-China tensions:
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/1...
Our latest on the Japan-China tensions:
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/1...
China punishes Japan’s new leader with harsh words and economic pain
Beijing is using its economic power and military muscle to convey its anger with Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi — and to send a message to the U.S.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 20, 2025 at 8:22 AM
China’s response to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s lack of ambiguity on Taiwan has been immediate and extreme, and it is threatening to turn a diplomatic spat into a regional crisis.
Our latest on the Japan-China tensions:
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/1...
Our latest on the Japan-China tensions:
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/1...
Interesting development in the sportswashing world with Arsenal’s Visit Rwanda sponsorship deal ending.
www.theguardian.com/football/202...
www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Arsenal’s controversial sponsorship deal with Visit Rwanda to end next year
Backlash came amid Rwanda’s support for the M23 militia that is embroiled in conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
www.theguardian.com
November 20, 2025 at 7:21 AM
Interesting development in the sportswashing world with Arsenal’s Visit Rwanda sponsorship deal ending.
www.theguardian.com/football/202...
www.theguardian.com/football/202...
!!!!
“She was one of more than 600 Americans fired, suspended, placed under investigation or disciplined by employers for comments about Kirk’s September 10 assassination, according to a Reuters review...”
“She was one of more than 600 Americans fired, suspended, placed under investigation or disciplined by employers for comments about Kirk’s September 10 assassination, according to a Reuters review...”
www.reuters.com
November 19, 2025 at 5:35 PM
!!!!
“She was one of more than 600 Americans fired, suspended, placed under investigation or disciplined by employers for comments about Kirk’s September 10 assassination, according to a Reuters review...”
“She was one of more than 600 Americans fired, suspended, placed under investigation or disciplined by employers for comments about Kirk’s September 10 assassination, according to a Reuters review...”
Russia’s “peace”
November 19, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Russia’s “peace”
Reposted by Alex Dukalskis
"russia is not possibly dumb enough to..." okay but are you sure. the people making decisions are insulated and face perverse incentives that have nothing to do with common sense or national security
⚡ German forces have run urban warfare drills in Berlin amid growing concerns that Russia could regain the capability to strike NATO territory by 2028.
Germany Drills for War in Berlin Subway as Russia Threat Looms Sooner Than Expected
The Bundeswehr's recent week-long exercises in Berlin focused on urban combat tactics amid warnings of Russia's military capabilities by 2028.
united24media.com
November 19, 2025 at 4:41 PM
"russia is not possibly dumb enough to..." okay but are you sure. the people making decisions are insulated and face perverse incentives that have nothing to do with common sense or national security
“The delusion hasn’t changed, but the formatting has”
The bigger change is presentation, historically, these emails were visually chaotic: sudden colour changes, ALL CAPS, screenshots pasted at random. Classic signs of disordered thinking. Now they’re neat, structured, and grammatically consistent. The delusion hasn't changed, but the formatting has.
November 19, 2025 at 3:59 PM
“The delusion hasn’t changed, but the formatting has”
Look I enjoyed the boys in green winning as much as the next Irish person but let’s all calm down a bit.
November 19, 2025 at 9:39 AM
Look I enjoyed the boys in green winning as much as the next Irish person but let’s all calm down a bit.
"Asked to comment about on ideological indoctrination at its Chinese outpost, a spokesman for @uofglasgow.bsky.social said: 'Our partnership in Hainan combines the strengths of two world-class university systems to provide students with the benefit of a truly global educational experience.'"
Inside Scotland’s China campuses: military drills and propaganda
Joint ventures between Scottish and Chinese universities have proved lucrative — but controversial, prompting concerns about the involvement of the authoritarian state
www.thetimes.com
November 18, 2025 at 1:20 PM
"Asked to comment about on ideological indoctrination at its Chinese outpost, a spokesman for @uofglasgow.bsky.social said: 'Our partnership in Hainan combines the strengths of two world-class university systems to provide students with the benefit of a truly global educational experience.'"
Trying to use market leverage to enforce political red lines abroad
Japan movie releases postponed in China after Taiwan row
Delayed releases include Cells at Work! and Crayon Shin-chan the Movie: Super Hot! The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers, Chinese state media said.
www.bbc.com
November 18, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Trying to use market leverage to enforce political red lines abroad