Fall 2026
The Multidimensional Legitimation Strategies of Authoritarian Regimes
Dates: September 14, 2026 – November 30, 2026Day/Time: Monday; Thursday 9:00 AM - 11:45 AM EDT
Level: 200-Level
Certificate: Civic Engagement, Democracy*, Global Studies
Civic Engagement certificate requirement: Theories of civic engagement, democracy, and social action.
Global Studies certificate requirement: Elective.
Instructor: Francesca Chiarvesio, Bard College
The course offers a general introduction to political legitimacy and legitimation strategies in authoritarian contexts. The aim is to familiarize students with the scholarship on democratic backsliding and mechanisms of manipulation, co-optation, and repression of public opinion, elites, and opposition. The course is timely as it provides tools to understand the current global wave of democratic backsliding, and the institutional, ideological, and performance-based reasons underpinning the resilience of authoritarianism. By offering an overview of scholarship on political legitimacy, this course equips students with the tools to critically consider democratic backsliding and counteract it. No prerequisites are necessary. This course is suitable for undergraduate students of any discipline. It emphasizes critical engagement with readings, discussion-based learning, and oral and written assignments aligning with GHEA’s commitment to academic rigor, open dialogue, and cross-campus scholarly community.
Credits: 3 US / 6 ECTS