Ukraine Series: Putin’s War and Personalist Authoritarianism | Science of Politics

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shows how the incentives and views of dangerous leaders drive world events. The efficacy of the international community’s response depends on how regimes like Russia’s work. Erica Frantz finds that personalist regimes like Russia are more likely to initiate conflicts and suffer from misperceptions in a close inner circle. Putin’s actions follow authoritarian patterns elsewhere. This conversational edition features research and commentary on the war, the sanctions, the behavior of other regimes like China, the global implications of the rise in personalist authoritarianism, and the direction of research on harder-to-observe countries. 

Guest: Erica Frantz, Michigan State University

Studies: How Dictatorships Work, Authoritarianism: What Everyone Needs to Know

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