The ARM Project will be part of an upcoming panel discussion hosted by project partners at the Centre for Digital Governance and the Berlin Social Science Centre. The event brings together practitioners and researchers to reflect on findings from the ARM project and their implications for democratic societies in Europe.
The discussion will explore how foreign influence in Europe extends beyond widely recognised cases such as Russian disinformation, highlighting activities by a broader range of regimes—including China, Russia, Rwanda, and Ethiopia. These actors employ diverse and evolving strategies to shape narratives, engage diaspora communities, and influence or constrain independent voices across Europe.
During the event, Lovise Aalen will present key insights from the project. A panel of practitioners – including representatives from the German Intelligence Service, the German Foreign Office, and civil society – will reflect on these findings from their respective perspectives. The discussion will focus on the challenges these strategies pose and consider practical ways to identify, prevent, and respond to foreign influence operations.
Key questions include:
- How do strategies of influence differ between large authoritarian powers like China or Russia and smaller regimes such as Rwanda or Ethiopia?
- In what ways are European audiences and diaspora communities targeted?
- How can civil society, journalists, and policymakers identify and respond to subtle forms of manipulation or suppression?
Registration is required to attend.
The event is co-organised with Lisa Garbe, Research Fellow, Berlin Social Science Centre, and Danie Stockmann, Director, Centre for Digital Governance, Professor of Digital Governance, Hertie School.