ORCID
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0196-1175
Date of Award
Spring 2025
Language
English
Embargo Period
4-30-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
College/School/Department
Department of Political Science
Program
Political Science
First Advisor
Victor Asal
Second Advisor
Bryan Early
Committee Members
Victor Asal, Bryan Early, Sam Jackson
Keywords
authoritarianism, collective action, contentious politics, human rights, oppression, resistance, security, technology, violence.
Subject Categories
Comparative Politics | International Relations
Abstract
This dissertation explores the impact of new technologies on state repression, political violence, and contentious politics via three interrelated studies. The first chapter presents a novel theory that describes the technology policies the Chinese government uses to oppress Uyghurs and turn them into obedient citizens. The chapter analyzes artificial intelligence tools, incarceration testimonies, official documents, police data, satellite evidence, and reports by nongovernmental organizations and scholars. Its findings shed light on the pervasive and increasingly dangerous nature of state repression in the digital age. The second chapter investigates the relationship between digital repression and the nature of conflicts using a global event dataset that documents conflicts with at least 1,000 participants. Considering the results of a rare events logistic regression analysis, the chapter asserts that digital repression alone is not a strong enough determinant of the occurrence of violent incidents. This chapter contributes to explanations of the complex dynamics between state repression and collective behavior by taking a critical stance toward technological determinism. The last chapter examines the relationship between technological repression and the likelihood of success for social movements through a competing risk analysis. It shows that social movements are less likely to succeed in countries that employ repression technology more frequently compared to their less repressive counterparts. This finding illuminates the longstanding debate on the repression–resistance nexus by demonstrating the negative impact of technological repression on civil resistance. In sum, this dissertation documents the risks and opportunities associated with new technologies while also delineating their limitations.
License
This work is licensed under the University at Albany Standard Author Agreement.
Recommended Citation
Topal, Reyhan, "TECHNOLOGY, REPRESSION, AND CONTENTION: HOW DO INTERNET AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AFFECT POLITICAL VIOLENCE AND COLLECTIVE ACTION?" (2025). Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present). 178.
https://scholarsarchive.library.albany.edu/etd/178
