Field:
    Comparative Politics and Political Communication

Dissertation Title:
    Leading the Way: The Media and the Struggle against Authoritarian Rule

Committee:
    Barbara Geddes (chair), Matt Baum, Dan Posner, John Zaller and Dan Hallin

Date of Completion:
    Spring 2008

Contact Information:
    Elizabeth Stein
    UCLA Political Science Department
    4289 Bunche Hall
    Los Angeles, California 90095-1472
    Phone: 310-825-4331
    Fax: 310-825-0778

Curriculum Vitae:
    Download PDF

Past and Current Proejcts:
    Click here.

Dissertation Summary:
    Dissertation Abstract

    A free press is one of the cornerstones of a successful democracy. Without freedom of the press, the government could take actions and make laws unobserved by the outside world. While limitations on press freedom in non democratic systems undoubtedly affect society, they do not necessarily leave the public completely uninformed. I propose in this dissertation that the media, both alternative and mainstream, bolster resistance to authoritarian regimes by (1) providing information, (2) shaping public opinion, (3) testing government tolerance and (4) tipping activists off to periods of political opening. The media can encourage public support for the regime if it provides only one voice — that of the government. However, during political openings the press, usually one of the first entities to liberalize, lead the way by providing the public with new, alternative voices that may result in shifts of public opinion away from the positions of government elite toward those of the opposition elite. Also, during periods of censorship, the tension created by press restrictions offers those who monitor the media a view inside the government’s thought process. The exchange that occurs between government censors and journalists can reveal quite a bit about government to the thoughtful observer. These dynamics can nurture opposition forces, strengthening their bargaining power and hastening negotiated transitions from authoritarian rule. I use the cases of Brazil and Chile’s military regimes to test hypotheses derived from my theories on the relationships between the media and both the masses and opposition activists in the struggle against authoritarian rule.

Research Interests:
    Media politics and political communication • Authoritarian regimes • Latin America and the developing world • Political activism and collective action • Political behavior • Political transitions • Public opinion

Teaching Interests:
    Latin American Politics • Introduction to Comparative Politics • Media and Politics • Social Movements and Collective Action • Public Opinion and Political Behavior • Research Design and Qualitative Methods