Sweater Girl is back with another lesson. This time she’s teaching Gene Sharp tactics. I really need to research her background. Yes, Trump leans into authoritarian theatrics, but the people amplifying these tactics aren’t fighting for socialism, and the funding streams behind them aren’t exactly grassroots. There’s an infrastructure here—front groups, donor networks, polished manuals—dressed up as spontaneous resistance. The aesthetics say “community,” but the playbook says something else entirely.
Read More »Tag: MacArthur Foundation
If We’re Going to “Learn About Otpor,” Let’s Start With the Facts
The video opens with a provocation—What if we weren’t afraid to get arrested? It’s time to learn about OTPOR!—but skips over the basic context of the organization being invoked. Angela Baker’s recommendation fits a pattern I’ve seen before: presenting Otpor as a neutral protest model while leaving out the political landscape that shaped it. Blueprint for Revolution, the book she cites, was written by Srđa Popović, one of Otpor’s leaders. The group received support from the National Endowment for Democracy, USAID, and pro‑democracy funding networks that included George Soros’ foundations, which Soros later acknowledged supporting during the 2000 uprising against Milošević. None of this automatically discredits the material, but it does mean the playbook isn’t organic or context‑free.
Read More »Tanzania’s Hassan declared landslide winner in election that triggered violent protests + Research
Tanzania’s Hassan declared landslide winner in election that triggered violent protests
At stake for the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party was its decades-long grip on power amid the rise of charismatic opposition figures who hoped to lead the country toward political change.
Still, a landslide victory is unheard of in the region. Only Paul Kagame, the authoritarian leader of Rwanda, regularly wins by a landslide.
…
In April, Tundu Lissu, the vice-chair of the main opposition party, Chadema, was arrested and charged with treason and cybercrime offences. His party, which had led calls for a boycott of the election unless electoral systems were reformed, was later disqualified from participating.
Last month, Luhaga Mpina, the leader of ACT-Wazalendo, another opposition party, was also disqualified, meaning Hassan contested only lesser-known opponents from minor parties.
Related:
Tanzania tells civil servants and students to stay home after chaotic election
Read More »Consider these factors as the Pentagon dissects AUKUS
Post-Communism for Sale: Defense Contractors, Oil Barons, and the New China Fantasy
Revealed: How journalism and awards work together to promote genocide and regime change
Front: Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF)
Strengthening the Financial Independence of Independent Media Organisations
The key findings of the literature review with regard to international donor assistance and private funding for independent media are as follows:
Read More »
- The United States and Germany are the largest contributors of international media assistance (Myers & Juma, 2018); China is emerging as a large donor for media and communications infrastructure projects
although it is less interested in freedom of the media(Myers & Juma, 2018);
The Shadow Funders: How USAID, Soros, and Corporate-Backed NGOs Shape Global Narratives
The Shadow Funders
How USAID, Soros, and Corporate-Backed NGOs Shape Global Narratives
by Tina Antonis
Read More »Video: US Targets Georgia as a Tool to Extend Russia
Who funded the anti-BRI “Made in Ethiopia” documentary?
WSWS: Made in Ethiopia—or anywhere else in the world – Xinyan Yu (National Fellow at New America*), Max Duncan (Reuters in China), Eastern Industry Park
Related:
Industrial park showcasing Chinese extensive investment participation in Ethiopia
Read More »In addition to the 12 industrial parks built by the government and managed by the Industrial Parks Development Corporation and regional governments and the Diredawa Free Trade Zone, there are also industrial parks built and managed by private investors in various areas of Ethiopia. One of these private industrial parks is Eastern Industry Park. The industrial park is located in Dukem area, and 153 companies are engaged in production activities in the park. 95% of the companies are owned by Chinese investors, while the rest are owned by companies from India, England, and other countries. These producers are contributing significantly in terms of job creation, foreign exchange earnings, technology, and knowledge transfer.
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