Talal Raza

PhD

Political Science

Talal Raza is a Political Analyst from South Asia. Currently a PhD Researcher at University of Melbourne's School of Social and Political Sciences, he previously worked with renowned organisations including as Political Adviser to the British High Commission in Pakistan and 2018 Open Internet Fellow at the National Endowment for Democracy (USA). His research interests include political violence, cyber politics, peace and digital development.

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Thesis

Digital Authoritarian Practices and Regime Stability: A Case of Pakistan

Amid a global rise in authoritarianism, state actors are leveraging digital technologies to counter domestic threats and maintain political control. This has given rise to a range of tech-enabled practices such as online censorship, internet shutdowns and organised digital influence campaigns, garnering widespread scholarly interest through the lens of ‘digital authoritarianism’.  

This research aims to unpack how digital authoritarianism has evolved in Pakistan. Using a practice approach, it will study how different forms of digital authoritarian practices have been deployed in pursuit of regime stability. Overall, this will help experts in developing a deeper understanding about political issues surrounding digital development and digital rights.

Research interests

  • South Asia
  • Conflict analysis
  • Digital development

Supervisors