Seeds of Indoctrination: Political Exile and the Unintended Consequences of Repression by Elias Dinas

Join us for another event in the Political Economy and Political Science Institutions (PEPSI) Seminar Series, Autumn Term 2023.

Elias Dinas from the European University Institute will present their research on Seeds of Indoctrination: Political Exile and the Unintended Consequences of Repression.

Abstract

Exile is a frequent tool dictators use to mute opposition. Despite its omnipresence, however, we know surprisingly little about its long-term implications for new democracies. We fill this gap by focusing on the case of Greece and the exiles to remote islands, instituted against adherents of Communism by two authoritarian regimes and the governments that intervened in between. Using rich archival data, we find that exposure to exiled is associated with a persistent left-leaning inclination of the locals. The effects are neither due to compositional changes in the islands nor due to selection into already left-leaning islands. Instead, the evidence points to a direct pattern of cultural transmission, built around the formation of a new identity around the experience of political exile. Moreover, as a product of successful contact, the legacy of the exiles is accompanied by persistently lower levels of outgroup prejudice and reduced support for anti-left parties.

This seminar will be held in NTC.2.01 on Monday 23rd October 2023 at 12.30pm. This event is open to all levels of study and is also open to the public.