Why this Project?
Political repression is a tale as old as political entities. This behavior has evolved over history alongside shifting contexts. From the repression of a kingdom’s subjects, to the crackdowns on an empire’s rebellious peoples, to the policing and imprisonment of modern day activists, those in charge of the political apparatus have long used their heavy, coercive and forceful hand to put down challenges from below - those observed as well as those suspected. In today’s world, however, technology and globalization have changed patterns of dissent, rebellion and resistance. The speed of travel and communication has made such concepts as global social justice movements and global civil society part of our current lexicon. Just as challenges to state power have gone global however, so too has repression, albeit much more under the radar. The problem here has been one of focus. Traditional research has largely been trying to understand what happens within the confines of individual nation-states. This is no longer acceptable and this is where our project moves.
Transnational Repression advances existing scholarship by extending the state’s repressive reach beyond its own borders. Where, how and when this happens can vary but it almost always involves an effort to coerce, intimidate or otherwise silence behavioral challenges against the relevant regime. Examples abound. The murder of Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi, in Istanbul, at the hands of Saudi agents put the issue of transnational repression on the map in recent years. Not only was the operation to eliminate Khashoggi concluded beyond Saudi borders, but reporting revealed that its planning, surveillance and lead-up took place in various countries across the globe. While this incident was high profile, most transnational repression receives far less attention, which likely makes states more willing to engage in it.
While significant study has been conducted on the topic of political repression - expanding over the last 30 years, far less is known about this new twist on the old phenomenon. When and how do states engage in transnational repressive action? What effective tools can be used to prevent it? To date, scholars working on repression have done so disparately. Additionally, knowledge of transnational repressive action is undertaken in different fields of study. Some have worked in diaspora studies, others in technology, still others in the social sciences. No central home for research on transnational repression currently exists. Until now.
Transnational Repression advances existing scholarship by extending the state’s repressive reach beyond its own borders. Where, how and when this happens can vary but it almost always involves an effort to coerce, intimidate or otherwise silence behavioral challenges against the relevant regime. Examples abound. The murder of Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi, in Istanbul, at the hands of Saudi agents put the issue of transnational repression on the map in recent years. Not only was the operation to eliminate Khashoggi concluded beyond Saudi borders, but reporting revealed that its planning, surveillance and lead-up took place in various countries across the globe. While this incident was high profile, most transnational repression receives far less attention, which likely makes states more willing to engage in it.
While significant study has been conducted on the topic of political repression - expanding over the last 30 years, far less is known about this new twist on the old phenomenon. When and how do states engage in transnational repressive action? What effective tools can be used to prevent it? To date, scholars working on repression have done so disparately. Additionally, knowledge of transnational repressive action is undertaken in different fields of study. Some have worked in diaspora studies, others in technology, still others in the social sciences. No central home for research on transnational repression currently exists. Until now.
The Team
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Christian Davenport
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Yousef Munayyer
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Marc Davignon
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Colleen Scerpella
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The Transnational Repression Project is housed at the University of Michigan's Center for Political Studies
