Whitewashing Dictators

Casey sits down with Alex Dukalskis and Adam Scharpf, a pair of academics whose groundbreaking work shines new light on why dictatorships hire Western public relations firms. They talk about just how widespread the issue is, and what PR firms actually do for their dictatorial clients. They also chat about the PR industry's ethics as a whole, and why PR firms are so eager to help authoritarians - and how other democracies can help shine light on the phenomenon. Learn more about their research: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/xk6b6ykobnxv9yiyg0ttn/Dictators_PR_Firms.pdf?dl=0&e=4&rlkey=iq7kxl7z3qwv43u67pnaeqpfn

Om Podcasten

“Dissidents and Dictators” is a podcast dedicated to bringing listeners stories and analysis from those on the frontlines of the fight for democracy. Hosted by Casey Michel and Elisha Maldonado, the podcast features democracy campaigners, investigative journalists, artists, musicians, scholars, and many more targeted by authoritarian regimes around the world. Guests share their personal histories and how they’ve dedicated themselves to standing up to dictatorship. Mixing news, commentary, and humor, the podcast provides impactful, unflinching conversations from those who’ve sacrificed everything to spread democracy — and who want to share their story with the rest of us.