Why conspiracy theories spread faster than coronavirus
(The Guardian) Did the virus originate in a US weapons lab, or is it a plot to destabilise Iran? The ‘infection’ of social media by these stories is a deliberate strategy.…
Posts by author
Scott Radnitz
28 posts
Associate Professor, Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, Director of the Ellison Center for Russian, East European, and Central Asian Studies
Affiliation
University of Washington
Expertise
Politics, Social Mobilization, Authoritarianism, Identity, State Building, Central Asia, Caucasus.
Where else do leaders do what Trump is accused of? Start with Russia.
(Monkey Cage blog) The House of Representatives is investigating President Trump’s alleged efforts to pressure Ukraine’s government to dig up dirt on Joe Biden, one of Trump’s potential rivals in the 2020 presidential…
The Real or Imagined Infiltration of Fifth Columns in the Post-Soviet Region
(PONARS Policy Memo) For much of Vladimir Putin’s presidency, and especially since the 2011-12 Bolotnaya demonstrations, the Kremlin has claimed that Russia is threatened by internal enemies. Various actors have been…
If Putin has kompromat on Trump, how might he use it?
(WP) Imagine for one moment you are Vladimir Putin. Sitting on the desk in front of you is a file labeled “Trump, Donald.” Inside is a stack of documents your spy…
Who Cares about Conspiracy Theories? Evidence From a New Survey in Georgia and Kazakhstan
(PONARS Policy Memo) Since the Ukraine crisis, political commentators have remarked on the chasm of understanding of events in the post-Soviet region, depending on whether one is consuming news in the…
Trump and Russia: Putin the Pieces Together (Lecture)
(University of Washington) The presidency of Donald Trump has vast implications for international affairs and even the internal politics of other countries — it could lead to geopolitical realignments on a…
Стратегическая солидарность: Как Центральная Азия реагирует на уговоры Кремля
На протяжении последних двух десятилетий центральноазиатские государства пытаются сохранять определенную дистанцию с региональным гегемоном, которым является Россия. Они стремятся соблюдать баланс между хорошими отношениями с Москвой и одновременным сохранением внутренних…
Strategic Solidarity: How Central Asia Responds to the Kremlin’s Exhortations
(PONARS Policy Memo) The Central Asian states have endeavored over the past two decades to maintain the appropriate amount of distance from the regional hegemon, Russia. They have sought to balance…
Why some people think Trump may be a ‘Siberian candidate’
(Washington Post) This election season has seen an unusual number of conspiracy theories, mostly emanating from Donald Trump. Recently, however, Trump has been the object of a conspiracy theory. When emails from…
Europe’s Extremists Are Not Putin’s Fault
(FP) It was recently reported that in June 2015, the U.S. Congress directed Director of National Intelligence James Clapper to investigate possible funding of European political parties and non-governmental organizations by the…