Jonas Draege
@draege.bsky.social
Associate Professor of Political Science at Oslo New University College. Previously @MiddleEast_HKS @Harvard @eui_sps
Drawing on Venezuela under chavismo and Turkey under Erdoğan, we show how opposition fragmentation may persist despite repeated coordination efforts.
November 13, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Drawing on Venezuela under chavismo and Turkey under Erdoğan, we show how opposition fragmentation may persist despite repeated coordination efforts.
2. Extraordinary times as stress tests
Elections and protests are often seen as moments of unity. But they can just as easily deepen divisions and expose unresolved tensions.
Elections and protests are often seen as moments of unity. But they can just as easily deepen divisions and expose unresolved tensions.
November 13, 2025 at 10:42 AM
2. Extraordinary times as stress tests
Elections and protests are often seen as moments of unity. But they can just as easily deepen divisions and expose unresolved tensions.
Elections and protests are often seen as moments of unity. But they can just as easily deepen divisions and expose unresolved tensions.
1. Resource asymmetry
Unequal access to funding, organization, and leadership breeds mistrust and competition, even within formal coalitions. Dominant actors may impose strategies, sidelining weaker ones and eroding trust.
Unequal access to funding, organization, and leadership breeds mistrust and competition, even within formal coalitions. Dominant actors may impose strategies, sidelining weaker ones and eroding trust.
November 13, 2025 at 10:42 AM
1. Resource asymmetry
Unequal access to funding, organization, and leadership breeds mistrust and competition, even within formal coalitions. Dominant actors may impose strategies, sidelining weaker ones and eroding trust.
Unequal access to funding, organization, and leadership breeds mistrust and competition, even within formal coalitions. Dominant actors may impose strategies, sidelining weaker ones and eroding trust.
That is wonderful to hear!! Thank you ☺️☺️
September 11, 2025 at 12:33 PM
That is wonderful to hear!! Thank you ☺️☺️
Taken together, we argue that emotionally charged, easily digestible videos help populist autocrats tell a compelling story that turns past glories and threats into a basis for regime legitimation.
Special thanks to Didem Seyis and Ezgi Şiir
Kıbrıs for outstanding research assistance!
Special thanks to Didem Seyis and Ezgi Şiir
Kıbrıs for outstanding research assistance!
September 11, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Taken together, we argue that emotionally charged, easily digestible videos help populist autocrats tell a compelling story that turns past glories and threats into a basis for regime legitimation.
Special thanks to Didem Seyis and Ezgi Şiir
Kıbrıs for outstanding research assistance!
Special thanks to Didem Seyis and Ezgi Şiir
Kıbrıs for outstanding research assistance!
A third common theme is the portrayal of perennial threats. PHVs show Turkey under attack by coup plotters, Western powers, or faceless enemies. Martyred citizens appear in color as the "pure" ingroup, resisting "corrupt" outgroups in black and white.
September 11, 2025 at 11:56 AM
A third common theme is the portrayal of perennial threats. PHVs show Turkey under attack by coup plotters, Western powers, or faceless enemies. Martyred citizens appear in color as the "pure" ingroup, resisting "corrupt" outgroups in black and white.
Another core theme in PHVs is strength through sacrifice. Voice-over narration (often by Erdoğan) adds drama to scenes of martyrs fighting on “just when hopes were about to be extinguished,” linking historical battles and the 2016 coup as shared moments of national resilience.
September 11, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Another core theme in PHVs is strength through sacrifice. Voice-over narration (often by Erdoğan) adds drama to scenes of martyrs fighting on “just when hopes were about to be extinguished,” linking historical battles and the 2016 coup as shared moments of national resilience.
We then used intertextual analysis to examine how common themes in PHVs were conveyed. Some videos show flag-bearing figures riding through battles like Manzikert and Gallipoli into today’s Turkey. Others use 1980s nostalgia, sepia tones, and folk music to urge support for the AKP.
September 11, 2025 at 11:56 AM
We then used intertextual analysis to examine how common themes in PHVs were conveyed. Some videos show flag-bearing figures riding through battles like Manzikert and Gallipoli into today’s Turkey. Others use 1980s nostalgia, sepia tones, and folk music to urge support for the AKP.
Our coding scheme tracked which historical figures and events appeared in each video, and who was cast as hero or enemy.
September 11, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Our coding scheme tracked which historical figures and events appeared in each video, and who was cast as hero or enemy.
We created a new dataset of 11,000+ YouTube videos shared by Turkey’s ruling party and state institutions (2005–2022).
From these, we hand-coded 134 “storytelling videos”, including “Popular History Videos” (PHVs) that use the past to legitimize rule today.
From these, we hand-coded 134 “storytelling videos”, including “Popular History Videos” (PHVs) that use the past to legitimize rule today.
September 11, 2025 at 11:56 AM
We created a new dataset of 11,000+ YouTube videos shared by Turkey’s ruling party and state institutions (2005–2022).
From these, we hand-coded 134 “storytelling videos”, including “Popular History Videos” (PHVs) that use the past to legitimize rule today.
From these, we hand-coded 134 “storytelling videos”, including “Popular History Videos” (PHVs) that use the past to legitimize rule today.