Law as Mechanism of Authoritarian Rule

Session Submission Type: Panel

Brief Description

The panel delves into the dynamics of legal systems within authoritarian regimes, shedding light on how law can be wielded to consolidate power and repress dissent. The presentations encapsulate the multifaceted nature of authoritarian legal mechanisms. Collectively, these presentations illuminate the intricate ways in which law operates as a tool for authoritarian control, shaping societal dynamics and perpetuating power imbalances.

Sub Unit

• Politics/Law

Chair

• Artur Baranov, Northwestern U

Papers

• Law as an Instrument of State Repression: The Progression before and after the Invasion - Sergey Katsuba, U College Dublin (Ireland)

• The Right to Information: Transparency Initiatives in Authoritarian Regimes - Evgeniia Mitrokhina, U of Wisconsin-Madison

• Ethnic Bias in Russian Courts - Yulia Khalikova, U of Hamburg (Germany)

• Communicating Russia’s Legislative Stagnation to the Press and Policymakers: Lessons from OVD-Info - Dan Storyev, OVD-Info

Discussant

• Lauren Alicia McCarthy, U of Massachusetts Amherst