The shadow of Russian alleged involvement in the US presidential elections has cast a cloud over the coming elections throughout the world and how this influence can prove disruptive to the democratic process. Here are 5 dissertation topics looking at aspects of the involvement of Russian in elections.
1. How much influence did Russia have on the US Presidential Elections?
How much influence does the internet and cyber tools have on the democratic processes. The internet using cyber tools and the media helped to influence US opinion.
Key Source: Nance, M., (2016) The Plot to Hack America: How Putin’s Cyberspies and Wikileaks Tried to Steal the 2016 Election, Skyhorse Publishing Inc.
2. Is there the potential for Russia to influence elections in Europe?
Russia has developed close relationships with far-right parties in Europe based on their ideology and strategy. Anti-American sentiment has established these relationships should be understood in context of democracy.
Key Source: Klapsis, A., (2015) An Unholy Alliance: The European Far Right and Putin’s Russia, Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies
3.How much influence does Russia have in Western democracies?
SEO Description: Russian influence is important particularly in Western democracies due to the mechanisms which Russia uses as they are designed to thrive using the rules and institutions of the West to exploit weaknesses in the system.
Key Source: Conley, H., Mina, J., Stefanov, R., & Vladimirov, M., (2016) The Kremlin Playbook: Understanding Russian Influence in Central and Eastern Europe, Rowman & Littlefield
4.How much of a Threat is Russia to Western Democracy?
SEO Description: It is apparent that Russia has often intervened in the politics and democracy of other countries, particularly in its attempts to influence regimes and has represented direct challenges to democracy.
Key Source: Way, L.A., & Casey, A., (2017) Is Russia a Threat to Western Democracy? Russian Intervention in Foreign Elections, 1991 – 2017, Global Populisms as a Threat to Democracy, November 3 – 4, Stanford University
5.How has social media helped Russia’s involvement in elections?
Social media has become an invaluable tool to politics and industry, it has become evident that this medium can cause to fractures to democracy, apparent in the attempt to disrupt electoral processes.
Key Source: Soldatov, A., & Borogan, I., (2015) The Red Web: The Struggle between Russia’s Digital Dictators and the New Online Revolutionaries, Hachette