The snow is still covering parts of the ground and I’m writing the introduction, purpose and research questions on my bachelor’s thesis in political science. If all goes according to plan, it’ll be complete and presented to the examiner and supervisor in late May and in May-June it’ll be publicly discussed and examined.
My only obstacle at the moment is the lack of research on digital transnational repression in Sweden and Scandinavia. I have ambiguous feelings about there not being much research, because on the one hand, it feels great to be one of the first students (in Sweden) to write about DTR and refugee espionage, but on the other hand, it’s also rather uncomfortable being one of the very first. The phenomenon needs to be introduced in a careful and simple, rather effortless, way, which is much more difficult than it may seem.
Two of the articles I refer to and base my own thesis on are Drawing a line: Digital transnational repression against political exiles and host state sovereignty, and Digital Transnational Repression and Host States’ Obligation to Protect Against Human Rights Abuses. In different ways they highlight the obligations of the host state, and the vulnerability of the host state if it seems to lack capacity to protect its’ inhabitants. Too little has been researched here when researchers have focused on human rights and freedom. It’s not bad, but the phenomenon, I think, needs to be perceived as more than simply an abuse of human rights. It’ll never be enough to highlight one dimension of this form of repression.
The Citizen Lab released their splendid report “Psychological and Emotional Warfare: Digital Transnational Repression in Canada” one year ago, which comprises interviews with people residing in Canada whom been targeted with various forms of DTR. If you’re looking for definitions and concepts, and insights to how it’s like living under digital surveillance and threats, the report is really useful.