Tonight my exploration of #authoritarianism across cultures takes me to Estonia, whose Madame K series illuminates the double pressure this small Baltic country faced amid dueling occupations from Nazi Germany & Soviet USSR during WWII. #worldculture #estonia

The O’Connor Institute’s new policy brief asks: Why are teachers uncomfortable teaching civics? Survey results show: 🔹 80% of civics teachers have self-censored 🔹 86% cite fear of controversy 🔹 Fewer than 15% receive clear guidance on what they can teach oconnorinstitute.org/research2025

A senior fellow at Korea University cautions that "Only a sustained series of serious trust-building efforts can begin to repair the shattered confidence in the U.S. — specifically in its commitment to human rights, reciprocity, respect for sovereign allies and democracy." #korea

according to an immigration attorney representing several arrested workers, ICE agents chose to arrest the Korean workers to fulfill the quota of 3,000 daily immigrant arrests set by Stephen Miller www.forbes.com/sites/stuart...

I really enjoyed this conversation w/ French global leadership expert Yasmina Khelifi. We talk about a formative cultural experience I had while living in Poland plus insights from my book Forging Bonds in a Global Workforce. #crossingcultures #globalteams #diversity

There seems to be a fantasy that Americans don't need to understand other countries anymore. But the rest of the world is still here, and ignorance and hubris won't help us advance our goals or insulate us from global challenges.

Many countries have experienced authoritarianism. By watching their films we can gain a better appreciation of its universal characteristics as well as the unique aspects in specific societies. Recently I've been offering my own suggestions from Asia, Europe and Latin America.

It should be needless to say, but it is perhaps at this moment worth saying, that transgender individuals have the same right as anyone else to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

As a person who grew up in the desert, I remain amazed and grateful that the ocean is now within easy reach. Here is a peaceful Southern CA moment for your Saturday evening. #california #statepark #socal

Some US coverage of the factory raid fallout has emphasized Korean nationalism. I think that overlooks key cultural elements like how they view relationships, trust, dignity and mutuality. This Korea Herald op-ed adds context: #korea #internationalrelations #intercultural #diplomacy

#Intercultural competence doesn't mean prioritizing the other country's feelings ahead of your own interests, but it does mean strategically making decisions that are likely to work rather than backfire. #internationalrelations #korea

Tonight's int'l film on authoritarianism comes from Poland. Blind Chance by Kieślowski reveals how a single moment could lead a person down a path towards collaboration, dissidence, or apolitical neutrality. It questions how much is ultimately in our own hands vs fate and chance. #worldcinema

Lessons from Venezuela: "Living through the rise of a dictatorship just means inhabiting a space that is gradually shrinking... You just make do with whatever breathing room you still have - until you lose that, too." - Gisela Salim-Peyer

"This precisely is what authoritarian regime looks like — armed, masked, anonymous agents of the state jumping from unmarked vehicles and whisking people away."

As one Taiwanese exec said, “The US government has become very different and unpredictable now.”

I have been recommending int'l films on the theme of authoritarianism. Today's is Argentina, 1985 which follows the prosecution as it makes its case against the recently-ended military dictatorship. #filmsky #worldcinema

“The Fourth Amendment protects every individual’s constitutional right to be ‘free from arbitrary interference by law officers,'” wrote Justice Sonia Sotomayor in dissent. “After today, that may no longer be true."

SCOTUS: considering race as one factor in a college applicant's file is blatantly unconstitutional ALSO SCOTUS: considering race as one factor in targeting whom to detain and deport is cool cool cool

Ending my week with this positive story about culturally competent health care:

Our ube consumption went from zero to 💯when we moved to LA 7 yrs ago. 💜 My personal favorite is Baking with Ish in San Gabriel, just east of DTLA. So good! #ilovela #filipinoamerican #socal #diversity

What is the sound of one country staggering off into the woods by itself?

Moving abroad takes more than resources and an open mind. You need to have intercultural skills to navigate the good, bad, confusing and annoying in your new daily life.

Today's int'l film on authoritarianism is "A Report on the Party and Guests" by Czech director Jan Němec. It shows that bumbling and incompetent political bosses can still be menacing and effective in forcing the public to participate in its charades. #filmsky #crossingcultures

Recently I have been sharing int'l film recommendations on the subject of authoritarianism. "Terrestrial Verses" comes from Iran. It features a series of vignettes in which ordinary people are interrogated, managed or obstructed by figures who remain out of the frame. #filmsky #worldcinema

These latest attempts to sanitize and reshape history to fit a narrow ideological narrative amount to nothing less than the erasure of history. We cannot reverse America’s journey toward a more just and equitable future. www.latimes.com/entertainmen...

I understand why Americans with options may choose to move abroad right now. I can't emphasize enough how important it is to plan for cultural adjustment as part of that process - even if you consider yourself wordly and open-minded and even if locals speak English. #expat #cultureshock

It's my first week of fall semester teaching intercultural communication to master's students in international relations and global biz. I truly love supporting learners who are passionate about the world and want to make a difference!

Today's int'l film suggestion is the political thriller Z by Costa-Gavras. Standing up for what is right is important but it isn't always enough to beat the shadowy forces of a junta and its violent minions. Sounds discouraging - but the letter Z contains hope: It stands for "he lives."

Today's int'l film on authoritarianism comes from South Korea. A Taxi Driver stars Song Kang-ho and unfolds during the May 18, 1980 Gwangju Democratization Movement against Chun Doo-Hwan's coup and military dictatorship. #filmsky

I had about 30 summers in Phx and I truly don't miss the 100+ days above 100 degrees F. But I do miss the monsoons and even the haboobs. The desert can be a dramatic and awe-inspiring place. (Just don't breathe in the dust - it can carry Valley Fever spores).

If you are in the LA area, be sure to check out Cruising J-Town: Behind the Wheel of the Nikkei Community, a free exhibit from @jamuseum.bsky.social (off-site in Pasadena). And engage w/ the docents! Their stories and insights really enhanced my cultural awareness. #diversity #asianamerican

Today's int'l film rec is La Llorona (The Weeping Woman) from Guatemala. All abusive regimes end - and when they do, there is both legal and supernatural justice. youtu.be/SVf8in0dj9s #filmsky

For the past week, I have been sharing int'l films on authoritarianism. Today's film is Sophie Scholl: The Final Days, which features the true story of two German siblings who distributed leaflets as part of the anti-Nazi White Rose movement. #filmsky

A United States Senate investigation has identified more than 500 credible reports of human rights abuses in US immigration detention since January, including alarming allegations of mistreatment of pregnant women and children.

As a heat wave grips Los Angeles, some people in LA face a difficult choice: seek shelter at public cooling centers, parks or other public areas with AC where they might encounter federal immigration agents — or risk the health consequences of extreme heat.

Today's int'l film recommendation is "Farewell My Concubine" from China and Hong Kong. It explores what it means on a personal, professional, social and romantic level when a cultural revolution turns your world upside down. #filmsky

This is a clear ex. that cross cultural offenses have consequences - but merely avoiding offense is a pretty low bar. Swatch should invest in cultural expertise to really understand what makes this market tick and hire diverse staff to build a campaign that truly resonates.

This line got me: "Professionally, I don’t get to avert my eyes." That is exactly how I feel as an intercultural professional and adjunct instructor w a backround in Russian and Central/Eastern European Studies.

"Sabotaging independent sources of knowledge, flooding communications media with disinformation, and rewriting history’s narrative to conform to ideology rather than fact are hallmarks of authoritarianism.” - Peter Shane, NYU Constitutional Law prof

“Even if there are consequences to standing in that place, there's clarity: There's no option to stand in any other place.” Father Brendan Busse in LA

As an older millennial, I have soured on American tech that was once fun or useful but has now "enshittified." Turns out, other countries feel the same way about being locked into the infrastructure of US power. Breaking up may prove hard to do, but it is a loss of soft power that they want to.

Today's int'l film suggestion comes from Spain. La lengua de las mariposas by José Luis Cuerda is a coming of age story set during the Spanish Civil War. Among other themes, it explores the question of how we maintain our humanity in turbulent times. #filmsky

Other countries have endured cultural revolutions, personality cults and authoritarian regimes. Their films may be newly relevant to Americans as we navigate our own shifting reality. My first recommendation is Repentance by Georgian filmmaker Tengiz Abuladze. What films do you suggest? #filmsky

The Japanese American National Museum is on the front lines of the regime's assault on civil rights and human dignity. They have repeatedly sounded the alarm over parallels btwn how the govt treated them in WWII and how it is behaving today. AND they have refused to scrub their website.

Americans reach for the Nazi comparison bc it is the one we know best. But authoritarianism comes in many flavors. I started out in Russian Area Studies before switching to intercultural relations, and I see the same parallels that Mark Jacob presents here.

None of this is about crime — it’s about power, and unlike in his first term, Trump now has a team around him with no qualms about using the full force of the military to help him obtain as much of it as possible.

"Even in darkness, there is incandescence—the flicker flames of everyday people fixed on the side of morality. I want to recognize myself in the mirror when this ends." - Sarah Sophie Flicker

The road to authoritarianism is littered with people telling you you’re overreacting.

Seizing the property of private organizations to punish dissent is totalitarianism. It is illegal, anti-Conservative, Soviet, and sickening. Yet people who drool ‘freedom’ whisper not a word to object. Lift not a finger.

I am genuinely curious about the rule against driving while wearing sandals, and how that relates to resentment about bad tourist behavior and over-tourism. It is a reminder that cultural norms can be quite divergent in unexpected ways.