(2) "The “Ironic Impact” of Pro-Democracy Activists: How Pro-Democratic Frames Undermine Support for Local Policy-Based Protests in Authoritarian Regimes" by Mai Truong @maitruong0526.bsky.social

journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....

I have many people to thank for their support along the way, especially my PhD Advisor @paulschuler.bsky.social

Even when propaganda fails to discredit protesters, it can still effectively serve as a warning by credibly signaling the regime’s strength and willingness to act.

In this piece, we argue — and provide evidence — that in authoritarian regimes, anti-protest propaganda deters support for protests primarily by shaping citizens' beliefs about the government's intention and capacity to punish, rather than by undermining perceptions of protesters’ legitimacy.

✅ Prepare more effectively before on-site research,
✅ Adapt the data collection process flexibly during fieldwork
✅ Sustain data collection and local networks after leaving.

I hope this article sparks discussion on normalizing this integration and leveraging the strengths of both methodologies.

This piece is especially close to my heart, as it stems from my own experiences navigating research constraints while balancing academic and personal responsibilities.

The prevailing view sees it as a last resort when in-person access is restricted. Drawing from my recent fieldwork in Vietnam and Malaysia, I argue instead for an integrative approach—one that treats digital and on-site fieldwork as complementary rather than competing methods.

This article highlights a dilemma for pro-democracy groups: joining policy-based movements may boost support, but sustaining democratic aims after the protest becomes challenging.

I then analyze public support for coalitions between these two groups. Using a survey experiment in Vietnam, I find that public support for such alliances typically defaults to the baseline level of support for the policy protest, as people often perceive the policy component as dominant.