Orion Lewis
Office
Voter Hall 109
Tel
(802) 443-5479
Email
olewis@middlebury.edu
Office Hours
Thursday 10:00 - 2:00 & by appt.

My research and teaching interests focus on the role of oppositional tactical choice and political communication strategies in mobilizing societal actors against authoritarian regimes. I am interested in three broad questions: first, how do domestic and international actors affect authoritarian stability? Secondly, in what ways do the communication strategies of domestic challengers influence authoritarian institutional change? Thirdly, what are the political and economic levers that states use to influence change in domestic political environments? Empirically, I have explored these issues from a global perspective as well as in the geographic focus of China and East Asia. My work on China—focused on explaining gradual information liberalization in a formally controlled system—has also been a catalyst for examining the role of political communication in authoritarian institutional change.

Specialties: institutions and institutional change, social mobilization, intra-state conflict, political communication, democratization and durable authoritarianism

Courses Taught

Course Description

East Asian Studies Independent Project
(Approval Required)

Terms Taught

Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025

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Course Description

Global Security Studies Independent Project
(Approval Only)

Terms Taught

Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Fall 2023, Fall 2024

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Course Description

Senior Work
(Approval Required)

Terms Taught

Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025

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Course Description

European Studies Senior Thesis
(Approval Required)

Terms Taught

Winter 2021, Winter 2022, Winter 2023, Winter 2024, Winter 2025

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Course Description

Latin American Studies Senior Thesis
(Approval Required)

Terms Taught

Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Fall 2023, Fall 2024

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Course Description

Independent Project
(Approval Required)

Terms Taught

Fall 2020, Winter 2021, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Winter 2022, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Winter 2023, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Winter 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Winter 2025, Spring 2025

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Course Description

Senior Thesis
(Approval Required)

Terms Taught

Fall 2020, Winter 2021, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Winter 2022, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Winter 2023, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Winter 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Winter 2025, Spring 2025

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Course Description

Globalization, Terrorism and Global Insurgency

How does globalization change the nature of terrorism, civil conflict, and great power conflict to create a global security environment characterized by a series of hybrid asymmetric threats? What are the connections between the infrastructure of globalization, transnational networks and international extremism and conflict? This course will focus on four modules that link aspects of globalization to global counterterrorism, counterinsurgency, and great power asymmetric conflict:

1) migration, immigration, and the movement of people,

2) illicit international markets and financing,

3) global communications, and

4) the connections between international relations, foreign-policy, and political violence worldwide.

Skill development will focus on policy evaluation and analysis, oral briefings, collaborative project management, and collaborative policy strategy papers.

Note** this course will enroll significant Middlebury undergraduates but is designed as an NPTS seminar.

Terms Taught

Fall 2020 - MIIS, Fall 2021 - MIIS

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Course Description

Contentious Politics in Asia
In this course we will compare protest, social mobilization, and contentious politics across Asia. While some have argued that "Asian values" cause harmonious and stable political systems, we will start from the premise that contentious politics in the region reflect the same dynamics seen elsewhere throughout history. However, as with all countries, the specific institutional and cultural context often shapes particular forms of contention. Empirically, we will focus on key regions including East and Southeast Asia as well as the domestic and international dimensions of activism. 3 hrs. lect. (Comparative Politics)

Terms Taught

Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Fall 2023, Fall 2024

Requirements

CMP, SOA, SOC

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Course Description

Political Communication
How are media and communications technology re-shaping politics? From a global comparative perspective—ranging from the United States to Asia—this course will survey the historical development of communications, the role of media in shaping public opinion and behavior, the impact of new media, and the rise of transnational satellite TV. Conceptually, the course will assess the importance of communications for understanding authoritarianism, democracy, and foreign policy. We will develop general comparative frameworks for understanding the growing importance of communications in the information age, while clarifying the limitations of media for shaping polities. (This course is not open to students who have taken PSCI 0413) 3 hrs. lect. (Comparative Politics)/

Terms Taught

Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Winter 2025

Requirements

CMP, NOA, SOC, WTR

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Course Description

Globalization, Terrorism, and Global Insurgency
How does globalization change the nature of terrorism and create a global security environment characterized by a series of hybrid asymmetric threats? What are the connections between organizations, conflict regions, and the developed world? This course will focus on at least four modules that link aspects of globalization to global counterterrorism, counterinsurgency, and counterproliferation policy: 1) migration, immigration, and the movement of people, 2) illicit international markets and financing, 3) global communications, and 4) the connections between international relations, foreign-policy, and political violence worldwide. Skill development will focus on policy evaluation and analysis, oral briefings, collaborative project management, and collaborative policy strategy papers. 3 hrs. sem. (International Relations and Foreign Policy)/

Terms Taught

Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Fall 2023, Fall 2024

Requirements

SOC

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Course Description

Asymmetric Conflict Research Practicum
The prevalence of civil conflict and asymmetric security threats have resulted in the dramatic growth of nontraditional security policy. To what extent have policymakers learned the lessons of the post-9/11 world, and to what extent is the global policy community prepared for the asymmetric, complex, and multifaceted operations that characterize 21st century conflict? Examples will be drawn from around the globe, with comparisons within and across regions, noting their impacts on institutions, policy processes, and human social systems. This course uses ongoing professional research projects on communications and international intervention, as well as Russian and Chinese hybrid warfare policies, as platforms for learning about global counterinsurgency and for students’ training in all phases of research methodology, including fieldwork interviewing techniques. 3 hrs. lect. (International Relations and Foreign Policy)/

Terms Taught

Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2023, Fall 2024

Requirements

CMP, SOC

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Course Description

Independent Projects
A program of independent work designed to meet the individual needs of advanced students. (Approval required)

Terms Taught

Fall 2020, Winter 2021, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Winter 2022, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Winter 2023, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Winter 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Winter 2025, Spring 2025

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Course Description

Honors Thesis
(Approval required)

Terms Taught

Fall 2020, Winter 2021, Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Winter 2022, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Winter 2023, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Winter 2024, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Winter 2025, Spring 2025

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Course Description

Water Conflict in Vietnam and Thailand
Students will research water conflict between China, Vietnam, and Thailand through extensive field research in both Vietnam and Thailand. Specifically, students will conduct group interviews exploring water politics and conflict transformation comparing the two countries, such as how do they secure Chinese investment but also balance local environmental and water use concerns to avoid conflict over scarce water resources? How do they strike a balance between their economic dependence on China and security dependence on the US? How have the China-led Lancang Mekong Cooperation group (LMC) and the US-led Mekong River Commission (MRC) competed as multilateral institutions governing water politics in the region? How do they strike a policy balance between meeting energy demand and mitigating negative social and environmental impacts of dam-building? How do they coordinate various interests and impacts between the upstream and downstream states through regional institutions? Studying these important questions will help students learn more about water politics in the region as well as tools and methods of conflict transformation, while also deeply immersing themselves in local politics and culture in each country.

Terms Taught

Winter 2024

Requirements

CMP, SOA, SOC, WTR

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