This research investigates how propaganda transforms beliefs, turning neighbors into perceived enemies. By analyzing decades of media data from democratically declining societies and testing persuasive mechanisms experimentally, the project identifies which narratives most effectively fuel polarization, ethnic hatred, and democratic erosion—knowledge essential for resisting modern propaganda.

My thesis examines how “bad actors” manipulate information and undermine knowledge through monitoring, adjusting, and restructuring people’s trust networks. By grounding theory in real-world examples, the research shows how misinformation exploits vulnerability and argues that understanding these tactics is essential to protecting autonomy and resisting manipulation.