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Defending Democracies: Combating Foreign Election Interference in a Digital Age
Election interference is one of the most widely discussed international phenomena of the last five years. Russian covert interference in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election elevated the topic into a national priority, but that experience was far from an isolated one. Evidence of election interference by foreign states or their proxies has become a regular feature of national elections and is likely to get worse in the near future. Information and communication technologies afford those who would interfere with new tools that can operate in ways previously unimaginable: Twitter bots, Facebook advertisements, closed social media platforms, algorithms that prioritize extreme views, disinformation, misinformation, and malware that steals secret campaign communications.
Defending Democracies examines the problem through an interdisciplinary lens and focuses on: (i) defining the problem of foreign election interference, (ii) exploring the solutions that international law might bring to bear, and (iii) considering alternative regulatory frameworks for understanding and addressing the problem. The result is a deeply urgent examination of an old problem on social media steroids, one that implicates the most central institution of liberal democracy: elections.
The volume seeks to bring domestic and international perspectives on elections and election law into conversation with other disciplinary frameworks, escaping the typical biases of lawyers who prefer international legal solutions for issues of international relations. Taken together, the chapters in this volume represent a more faithful representation of the broad array of solutions that might be deployed, including international and domestic, legal and extra-legal, ambitious and cautious.
Defending Democracies examines the problem through an interdisciplinary lens and focuses on: (i) defining the problem of foreign election interference, (ii) exploring the solutions that international law might bring to bear, and (iii) considering alternative regulatory frameworks for understanding and addressing the problem. The result is a deeply urgent examination of an old problem on social media steroids, one that implicates the most central institution of liberal democracy: elections.
The volume seeks to bring domestic and international perspectives on elections and election law into conversation with other disciplinary frameworks, escaping the typical biases of lawyers who prefer international legal solutions for issues of international relations. Taken together, the chapters in this volume represent a more faithful representation of the broad array of solutions that might be deployed, including international and domestic, legal and extra-legal, ambitious and cautious.
409 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 29, 2021
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
April 1, 2023
Strong Book
This is an outstanding book that tackles the issue of election interference with precision and clarity.
The book delves into the ways in which foreign actors can meddle in a nation's democratic process, and the steps that can be taken to combat such interference.
Ohlin's book is incredibly thorough, covering numerous examples of foreign meddling in elections around the world, including China's interference in India and Australia, and Russia's interference in the US.
The book offers a wealth of case studies and real-world examples, making it both an informative and fascinating read.
One of the things that sets this book apart is the author's excellent writing style. Ohlin is a skilled communicator, and his writing is both engaging and easy to follow. Additionally, the book is well-researched, with a deep understanding of the subject matter that is evident throughout.
Overall, this is a must-read for anyone interested in the topic of election interference.
It is a timely and relevant book that offers an incredible amount of insight into this critical issue.
I highly recommend it to anyone looking to better understand the complexities of foreign interference in elections.
4.8/5
This is an outstanding book that tackles the issue of election interference with precision and clarity.
The book delves into the ways in which foreign actors can meddle in a nation's democratic process, and the steps that can be taken to combat such interference.
Ohlin's book is incredibly thorough, covering numerous examples of foreign meddling in elections around the world, including China's interference in India and Australia, and Russia's interference in the US.
The book offers a wealth of case studies and real-world examples, making it both an informative and fascinating read.
One of the things that sets this book apart is the author's excellent writing style. Ohlin is a skilled communicator, and his writing is both engaging and easy to follow. Additionally, the book is well-researched, with a deep understanding of the subject matter that is evident throughout.
Overall, this is a must-read for anyone interested in the topic of election interference.
It is a timely and relevant book that offers an incredible amount of insight into this critical issue.
I highly recommend it to anyone looking to better understand the complexities of foreign interference in elections.
4.8/5
Displaying 1 of 1 review