Authoritarianism 101: How It Happens — And How We Fight Back with Zev and Olga Session 8

Session 8 registration link: July 22 @8:00 PM EDT

Over the following weeks, Zev Shalev and I will be hosting an exclusive seminar series for our paid subscribers: Authoritarianism 101.

Each session will break down core tactics used by authoritarian regimes—past and present—alongside real-world examples from the U.S., Russia, Hungary, and beyond. We’ll show how these strategies erode democratic institutions, normalize state violence, and silence dissent. But most importantly, we’ll talk about how to resist.

We’ll meet live on Google Meet every Tuesday at 8 PM ET, and every session will include:

• A focused breakdown of each tactic

• Global and U.S. examples and real-time developments

• Resistance tools, resources, and discussion

Next session will be on July 22 @8:00 PM EST, and paid subscribers to either Zev's or my newsletter are invited.

Google Meet link will be sent separately next Tuesday at 7:30 PM. Cut-off for registration is July 22 @7:00 PM EST

Registration Link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSefgGSBQSNgZEoVyn2C3ZwRC1vEsktwe_3Li72CziHh0UiBog/viewform?usp=header

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Here’s what we’ll cover:

Week 1: The Psychology of Popular Support for Authoritarians (June 3)

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Week 2: Controlling the Narrative (June 10)

Tactic 1: Propaganda, Disinformation & Rewriting History

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Week 3: Targeting “The Other” (June 17)

Tactic 2: Scapegoating Minorities, Journalists & Immigrants
Tactic 3: Delegitimizing Political Opponents

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Weeks 4 and 5: Silencing Dissent (June 24 and July 1)

Tactic 4: Politicizing Law Enforcement and the Military
Tactic 5: Expanding Mass Surveillance

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Week 6: Consolidating Power (July 8)

Tactic 6: Purging Independent Institutions

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Week 7: Expanding Emergency Powers (July 15)

Tactic 7: Executive Overreach & Emergency Powers

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Week 8: Legal Pressure & Fear (July 22)

Tactic 8: Legal Harassment & Intimidation
Tactic 9: Undermining the Judiciary

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Week 9: Rigging the System

Tactic 10: Election Manipulation & Voter Suppression
Tactic 11: Political Use of Public Funds

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Week 10: Oligarchy, Religion & Culture Control

Tactic 12: Co-opting Religious Institutions
Tactic 13: Controlling Education, Art & Cultural Expression

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Week 11: Global Authoritarian Playbook

Tactic 14: Oligarchic Capture of Power

Tactic 15: Normalization Through Chaos & Fatigue
Tactic 16: Exporting Authoritarian Tactics Across Borders

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Look forward to seeing you there!