The concept of the master-signifier has been subject to a variety of applications in Lacanian forms of political discourse theory and ideology critique. While there is much to be commended in literature of this sort, it often neglects salient issues pertaining to the role of master signifiers in the clinical domain of (individual) psychical economy. The popularity of the concept of the master (...

The internet is a double-edged sword: civilians can mobilise it to assemble and voice dissent, but illiberal regimes also weaponise consolidate power suppress any form of opposition. Internet shutdowns – intentional disruptions services represent one method used limit citizens’ freedom expression, information, peaceful assembly other associated rights in the name national security. Julia Ryng, ...

This article explores academic freedom as it relates to scholarly publishing. While most discussions of a human right focus on threats individuals’ personal safety and careers, we open this out include the ‘soft repression’ that is possible encounter during publication process, its potential impact record. An overview given some ethical issues encountered by editors publishers working with auth...

The countertransferential reactions of psychotherapists working in a threatening environment with victims of political repression are described. Via case studies based on clinical consultation and direct testimony, this paper examines the effects on Chilean therapists living and working in that country. It is suggested that these clinical observations may have application to therapeutic work wi...

We provide a general framework for the analysis of dynamics of institutional change (e.g., democratization, extension of political rights or repression), and how this dynamics interacts with (anticipated and unanticipated) changes in the distribution of political power and changes in economic structure (e.g., social mobility or other changes affecting individuals’preferences over different type...

A review of the exhibition Temporal: Puerto Rican Resistance, curated by Dalina Aimée Perdomo Álvarez, on display at Museum Contemporary Photography in Chicago from July 7 to September 19, 2020. The considers issues U.S. colonialism, natural disaster, political repression, popular protest, and temporality crisis.

What explains the great variation in adoption, timing, and duration of government policies made response to COVID-19 pandemic? In this article, we explore whether incentives repress domestic dissidents influence their responses pandemic. We argue that containment are observationally equivalent those abusive governments use limit dissent – is, restrict citizens’ freedom movement. This creates an...

Abstract The literature on autocracies has argued that repression of protest is either a result the political environment in which occurs, or depends particular characteristics events themselves. We argue interaction both matters. Authoritarian regimes vary how they legitimize their rule, and should be particularly thin-skinned if protesters challenge basis legitimacy. Using event-level data ma...