Mr ORHAN DOGAN

University of Tennessee

Bio

Orhan Dogan is a Ph.D. candidate in Political Science at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and expects to complete his degree in November 2026. His research focuses on authoritarianism, government legitimacy, public opinion, hate speech, and the relationship between religion and politics.

Enemies Within: The Role of Hate Speech in Government Legitimacy

Abstract

Reports from human rights organizations document an increase in hate speech against minority groups by
pro-government media and state officials worldwide. Despite this trend, limited research explains why
some groups are targeted while others are not. This study develops a theory to address this gap and
finds that, first, governments target groups unfavored by their voter base,
Second, governments adjust targeting strategies with transformations in their voter base to align with
these changes.