Lee Morgenbesser
@lmorgenbesser.bsky.social
Political Scientist, Griffith University | Fellow, Australian Research Council | Authoritarian politics, democratization, dictators, election observation, Southeast Asian politics.
Never in doubt! #feelingextrapatriotic
bart simpson is looking at a globe while talking on a phone
ALT: bart simpson is looking at a globe while talking on a phone
media.tenor.com
November 26, 2025 at 6:32 AM
Never in doubt! #feelingextrapatriotic
"Hopelessly captured" is an insane understatement.
a man is sitting at a table with the words `` dont get me started '' on his face .
ALT: a man is sitting at a table with the words `` dont get me started '' on his face .
media.tenor.com
November 24, 2025 at 12:46 PM
"Hopelessly captured" is an insane understatement.
I deplore this approach
November 21, 2025 at 9:30 AM
I deplore this approach
Given your expertise on democratic backsliding, I hope you can provide a silver lining here Laura 🤓 No pressure..but go:
November 10, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Given your expertise on democratic backsliding, I hope you can provide a silver lining here Laura 🤓 No pressure..but go:
Perhaps next time Western media companies won’t swallow Saudi propaganda so easily and gleefully…
I see some bullshit stadium in the sky has been announced now…
I see some bullshit stadium in the sky has been announced now…
November 9, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Perhaps next time Western media companies won’t swallow Saudi propaganda so easily and gleefully…
I see some bullshit stadium in the sky has been announced now…
I see some bullshit stadium in the sky has been announced now…
Every example I used in this article from April was ICE. Not only is it possible to have two secret police forces, many authoritarian regimes do.
theconversation.com/how-ice-is-b...
theconversation.com/how-ice-is-b...
How ICE is becoming a secret police force under the Trump administration
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement meets most criteria that have defined secret police forces in authoritarian regimes. And the worst may be yet to come.
theconversation.com
October 29, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Every example I used in this article from April was ICE. Not only is it possible to have two secret police forces, many authoritarian regimes do.
theconversation.com/how-ice-is-b...
theconversation.com/how-ice-is-b...
Very much looking forward to that book! I suspect it will be great for my course material
October 27, 2025 at 7:43 AM
Very much looking forward to that book! I suspect it will be great for my course material
I hereby challenge Alex Dukalskis to a competition: be the first person to published an article on the historical origins of Trump’s authoritarian model*
* article must be peer-reviewed
* article must be peer-reviewed
a bald man is standing in front of a window and pointing at the camera .
ALT: a bald man is standing in front of a window and pointing at the camera .
media.tenor.com
October 25, 2025 at 11:32 AM
I hereby challenge Alex Dukalskis to a competition: be the first person to published an article on the historical origins of Trump’s authoritarian model*
* article must be peer-reviewed
* article must be peer-reviewed
More seriously, I have wondered whether Trump observed some dictators from afar in his 20s and has since thought ‘this is how you do it.’ It actually explains a lot when you try to make sense of his actions, like transporting a 1960s dictator to rule in 2025…
🔼 Solid hypothesis
🔼 Solid hypothesis
October 25, 2025 at 10:03 AM
More seriously, I have wondered whether Trump observed some dictators from afar in his 20s and has since thought ‘this is how you do it.’ It actually explains a lot when you try to make sense of his actions, like transporting a 1960s dictator to rule in 2025…
🔼 Solid hypothesis
🔼 Solid hypothesis
Hmmm I am looking at 1960s Central Africa as the relevant reference point 😁
October 25, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Hmmm I am looking at 1960s Central Africa as the relevant reference point 😁
Congratulations!
Milan Svolik and I are working on a similar project, albeit based on Singapore. We are likewise investigating whether people trade-off democracy (and ignore democratic abuses) for effective governance, which the PAP has long claimed as its trademark.
Be great to chat sometime!
Milan Svolik and I are working on a similar project, albeit based on Singapore. We are likewise investigating whether people trade-off democracy (and ignore democratic abuses) for effective governance, which the PAP has long claimed as its trademark.
Be great to chat sometime!
October 23, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Congratulations!
Milan Svolik and I are working on a similar project, albeit based on Singapore. We are likewise investigating whether people trade-off democracy (and ignore democratic abuses) for effective governance, which the PAP has long claimed as its trademark.
Be great to chat sometime!
Milan Svolik and I are working on a similar project, albeit based on Singapore. We are likewise investigating whether people trade-off democracy (and ignore democratic abuses) for effective governance, which the PAP has long claimed as its trademark.
Be great to chat sometime!