Ekaterina Rebinskaya is a DPhil student in Politics. Her research focuses on political communication and state persuasion strategies. Using computational methods, text analysis, and survey experiments, she focuses on persuasion via the use of identities and the emphasis of out-groups and in-groups. More precisely, this includes the type of out-groups and in-groups regimes tend to emphasise, how are such groups emphasised, under what conditions, and what is their impact on individuals.
We spoke to Ekaterina about her journey to Oxford and what achieving a fully funded place means to her:
The DPIR funding scheme was able to provide me with the amazing opportunity of pursuing my DPhil in Politics at the University of Oxford, where I am able to research issues which I deeply care about.
This funding gave me the opportunity to conduct research in authoritarian politics and to specifically focus on propaganda and national identities. As a person who comes from an authoritarian regime, I believe that it is extremely important to understand the mechanisms and tools which allow authoritarian regimes to stay in power and to control individuals’ minds and behaviour. Understanding said mechanisms and tools becomes even more important in a world characterised by democratic backsliding.
None of this research would have been possible without the DPIR funding. Without this funding I would not have been able to research important questions which – I believe – can help us protect democracy and its norms and which, therefore, have practical implications.
Additionally, DPIR funding allowed me to meet incredible scholars and to exchange ideas, thus further enhancing my research. It allowed me to have guidance and support from amazing faculty, and to have an amazing supervisor who keeps pushing me to enhance my understanding not only of authoritarian politics, but of the field of political science more broadly. Ultimately, these types of interactions are a fundamental part of my DPhil, and of my professional and personal development.
In the future I aim to pursue my academic career and to further study the field of authoritarian politics. There is still a lot to be discovered, and I would be honoured to contribute to this field. This contribution, as someone from Russia, is important on a personal level.