Civilisational populist rulers polarise societies mainly along religious lines. They also interfere with their emigrants, mobilising supporters against other expatriates. This project aims to advance knowledge of authoritarian states’ transnational influence on social cohesion and inter-group conflict. By studying Islamist and Hindutva civilisationist mobilisations, their reach into their emigrants via digital technologies, and their impact on Turkish and Indian groups in Australia, the project aims to assist policy makers and community groups by generating conceptual frameworks, benchmarking data, and recommendations for making policies to deal with this phenomenon’s negative effects and for developing intervention strategies.

Authoritarian foreign governments increasingly seek to motivate loyal emigrants to support their repressive policies both at home and abroad. They seek to provoke action by their supporters against emigrants who hold opposing views to the government. In Australia, this leads to tension – even violence – between different migrant communities. This project will determine how foreign governments use polarising speech, religion and digital technologies to influence emigrant populations. The project will analyse the impact of this foreign interference on social cohesion and economic integration on a multicultural society such as Australia. Research findings will help governments counter such threats. The project also aims to produce social and economic benefits through policy briefings and recommendations, and workshops with policymakers, media, community organisations and affected communities to minimise the impact of foreign interference.

• Advance knowledge of authoritarian states’ transnational influence on social cohesion and inter-group conflict.
• Study Islamist and Hindutva civilisationist mobilisations and their reach into emigrants via digital technologies.
• Analyse the impact on Turkish and Indian groups in Australia.
• Assist policymakers and community groups by generating conceptual frameworks and benchmarking data.
• Provide recommendations for policies to mitigate negative effects and develop intervention strategies.
• Determine how foreign governments use polarising speech, religion, and digital technologies to influence emigrant populations.
• Analyse the impact of foreign interference on social cohesion and economic integration in multicultural societies like Australia.
• Help governments counter threats through research findings.
• Produce social and economic benefits via policy briefings, recommendations, and workshops with policymakers, media, community organisations, and affected communities.

Project Start Date: 1 January 2023

Project End Date: 31 December 2025

Project Funding: This project is funded by the Australian Research Council under the Discovery Projects scheme ($453,538)