Authoritarian Environments

Researchers examining authoritarian and complex environments face increasing physical and ethical challenges when doing their work. By its very nature, the field of politics examines issues that are often sensitive or even threatening to some elites and powerful societal groups. In a wide range of contexts, researchers have faced growing political constraints including access to approvals, visas, and important information, and even the threat of detention or even violence, just for doing their work. This group seeks to support these researchers, and to facilitate methodological innovation that ensures the strength, integrity and viability of future research on authoritarian and challenging environments.