Conference Presentations
Pirate Security Conference, Munich 2025
The Munich speech applied the Twelve Tools to the current European information environment, with a focus on how Disinfolklore Galaxies operate across borders.
Slide deck: Disinfolklore Deck (PDF)
When posted on X, the speech reached 106K views, 158 shares, 296 likes and 137 bookmarks.
Zukunftsforum Dresden 2024
Decoding Trolls — How to analyse and fight Russian propaganda techniques
Decoding Disinfolklore Radio
Decoding Disinfolklore is a weekly radio show on Volya Radio, running since April 2025. Each episode applies the Twelve Tools to live events, breaking down the Disinfolklore operating in real time.
After each broadcast, an edited podcast version with transcript is published to the The Well.
Video Episode — 23 December 2025
Decoding Trolls returns with the third installment of a deeply researched series unpacking the mechanics of disinfolklore, the fusion of disinformation, myth, archetype, and emotional manipulation used by authoritarian regimes to reshape reality itself. Drawing on firsthand experience as a diplomat and OSCE monitor in eastern Ukraine, Decoding Trolls traces how Russia’s information warfare evolved long before the full-scale invasion: from staged incidents and fabricated “crisis actors” to folkloric narratives rooted in fear, disgust, and symbolic resonance.
### Weekly Episodes25 February 2026
Decoding Trolls takes us deep into provocation logic and reflexive control—how ruzzian information warfare aims to trigger fear, freeze decision-making, and coax “prudent” inaction, often packaged in familiar folk-memes like “don’t poke the bear.” Disinfolklore is a specific form of disinformation designed to shape moods, intentions, motivations, and attitudes; Volya Radio uses this framework (among others) to help audiences understand and resist malign information, and that lens supports Ukraine and confronts ruzzia’s war of aggression and genocide.
18 February 2026
Decoding Trolls for a deep dive into how myths and archetypes power modern propaganda around Ukraine. From the resurrection of the Soviet “Great Patriotic War” narrative to grievance mining and the myth of the “invincible” ruzzian state, Decoding examines how deeply embedded cultural stories shape perception long after facts have changed. These narratives—sacred sacrifice, the betrayed bear, the wise sovereign—function as emotional anchors that resist data and distort reality.
11 February 2026
The episode also confronts AI: how chatbots influence emotion, how algorithms can “troll” users, and why ethical discipline—the Code of Positive Trolls—matters more than ever. Key themes include: How Russian troll factories construct daily meme “themes” (темники); The post-2014 disruption of the information ecosystem; The “shaman trickster” archetype in modern politics; “Stealth genocide” as identity destruction through narrative manipulation.
04 February 2026
Disinfolklore is not just disinformation—it is a narrative weapon designed to shape our moods, intentions, motivations, and attitudes in ways that benefit the disinfolkloreist. Most often that actor is russia, but the method can be used by any malign power seeking coercive control through stories rather than facts.
28 January 2026
Drawing on lived experience inside Russian-occupied Ukraine, comparative mythology, theology, literary theory, and post-WWII legal norms, Decodïng Trolls explains how disinformation functions as a modern trickster tale—weaponizing myths, bogeymen, and historical distortion to erode empathy, normalize atrocity, and justify violence. From the instrumentalization of religion and “Nazi” tropes to the manipulation of Western media narratives and algorithmic identity shifts, this episode dissects how stories become tools of power.
21 January 2026
Decoding Disinfolklore — Battling Archetypes & Narrative Warfare: Decodïng Trolls expands on his firsthand experience as a diplomat in Russian-occupied Ukraine, revisiting the now-central “bridge” moment that sparked his realization that disinformation functions less like isolated lies and more like a coherent folkloric universe. Drawing from classical folklore, mythic structures, and lived encounters with Ukrainian civilians, he explains how archetypes, symbols, and narrative repetition are deliberately weaponized to reshape identity, perception, and political behavior.
14 January 2026
Decoding Trolls begins by revisiting the foundations of his disinfolklore analytical method, continuing a multi-episode exploration of battling archetypes and how real-world events are deliberately transformed into symbolic stories by authoritarian propaganda systems. Using Russia’s war against Ukraine as a central case study, he explains how kinetic actions on the ground are designed to be mirrored and amplified through narrative, folklore, and emotional imprinting. A major early focus is information hygiene and mental self-defense.
07 January 2026
The discussion moves from real-world case studies—including staged “incidents,” propaganda feedback loops, and manufactured outrage—to broader geopolitical examples: Ukraine’s battlefield successes, the collapse of ruzzian military mythmaking, Arctic and maritime failures, Venezuela and Greenland rhetoric, and the way disinformation ecosystems rapidly rewire public attitudes toward war. Along the way, the panel explores how fear dissolves once myths collapse—and why Ukraine’s resistance has fundamentally altered the global information space since February 24, 2022.
23 December 2025
In this extended Volya Radio episode, Decoding Trolls returns with the third installment of a deeply researched series unpacking the mechanics of disinfolklore—the fusion of disinformation, myth, archetype, and emotional manipulation used by authoritarian regimes to reshape reality itself. Drawing on firsthand experience as a diplomat and OSCE monitor in eastern Ukraine, Decoding Trolls traces how Russia’s information warfare evolved long before the full-scale invasion: from staged incidents and fabricated “crisis actors” to folkloric narratives rooted in fear, disgust, and symbolic resonance.
17 December 2025
10 December 2025
Decoding Disinfolklore delivers a sharp, energetic, and deeply informed look at Russia’s war against Ukraine, global authoritarian narratives, and the evolving ecosystem of disinformation. In these episodes, host Wendy, co-host James, and recurring analyst Decodïng Trolls guide listeners through a fast-moving landscape of geopolitical manipulation, frontline realities, and the myth-making that shapes public understanding of the war.
02 December 2025
In this intellectually electric edition of Volya Radio, hosts Wendy and James welcome Decodïng Trolls for a deep dive into the evolving landscape of Russian disinformation, U.S.–Russia backchannel dealings, and the psychological architecture of modern hybrid warfare. What begins as a casual Wednesday check-in rapidly unfolds into one of the most comprehensive explorations yet of Decoding’s analytical framework and the “disinfo-folklore universe” that shapes global political behavior.
26 November 2025
analyst Decoding Trolls unpack one of the most turbulent information weeks of 2025. The conversation centers on the leaked 28-point capitulation/“peace” plan and how it fits into Russia’s long-standing pattern of narrative manipulation, coercion, and pressure on Ukraine and its allies. Drawing on early warnings from mid-November and the UN territorial-integrity dispute, Decoding Trolls argues that the plan reflects Moscow’s desperation as Ukrainian forces maintain a striking battlefield advantage—reportedly 15 Russian casualties per one Ukrainian.
19 November 2025
NAFO members archetyping themselves as cartoon dogs is humbly joyous. And confirms to the Code of Positive Trolls. It's an act of counter-archetyping. Drawing on firsthand experience in eastern Ukraine and international law, Decoding Trolls explains how these narratives numb Western responses, obscure acts of aggression, and shape public perception. The panel also touches on Russian interference across Europe, the misuse of corruption narratives, NAFO’s role in countering propaganda, and the psychological dimension of modern conflict.
29 October 2025
UNderstanding memes as contagion.Decoding Trolls who introduce an “analytical theory of disinformation” aimed at helping people recognize and parse propaganda and manipulative content in real time. The discussion explored the origins of memes (tracing back to Richard Dawkins’ concept in The Selfish Gene), how memes function as cultural contagions, and the ways in which information warfare and Russian disinformation campaigns exploit emotional and psychological “energy” to influence audiences.
22 October 2025
Building on research by scholars like Tatiana Bodak and Ukraine’s InformNapalm, Decoding Trolls dissects how Russia’s propaganda machine works to fracture societies by subverting national archetypes and rewriting shared meaning. The hosts trace this “mental warfare” from the occupied territories of Ukraine to the algorithms of Cambridge Analytica, showing how psychological operations and social media manipulation have reshaped global politics.
15 October 2025
Jurisprudence of sympathetic magic. Decodïng Trolls for a deep dive into the language, logic, and myth-making of modern disinformation. Together they unpack how propaganda morphs into “disinfolklore”—the fusion of digital myth, political narrative, and magical thinking that fuels authoritarian movements from Moscow to MAGA. The discussion ranges from Russia’s weaponized storytelling and the “accusation in a mirror” tactic to the far right’s reframing of “woke,” Antifa, and human-rights values.
08 October 2025
The discussion explores how disinformation spreads like contagion through digital culture, political rhetoric, and online archetypes — turning truth into illusion.
01 October 2025
Decoding Trolls unpack how ancient myths of trolls and monsters echo in today’s world of internet abuse, propaganda, and hybrid war. From Indo-European folklore to Russian disinformation in Ukraine, the discussion shows how “trolling” works as both psychological warfare and cultural manipulation—turning stories into weapons and shaping how we see enemies.
24 September 2025
Guests explore Ukraine’s archetypal identity as a rising superpower, the potential dissolution of the Russian Federation, and how AI modeling offers glimpses into post-war geopolitical futures. Themes include the role of archetypes in shaping political perception, the weaponization of migration, and the emergence of drone warfare as a defining feature of modern conflict.
17 September 2025
Decoding Trolls as they dive deep into the mechanics of disinformation and propaganda—how myths, memes, and manipulated narratives shape political realities from Ukraine to the U.S.They unpack Russia’s use of folklore to dehumanize Ukrainians, explore how “inner vs. outer realms” rhetoric fuels division, and examine recent events from MAGA infighting to global media manipulation. Featuring sharp analysis andlively discussion, this session reveals how disinfolklore is created, spread, and weaponized.
11 September 2025
Decoding Trolls as they discuss the risks of being enveloped in various “disinfolklore galaxies” in the context of Decoding’s disinfolklore analytical method. He also placed current events in the context of disinfolklore and mythology. After Decoding leaves, Shaggy and Wendy continue the discussions.
03 September 2025
Quick run through the 12 tools of the Disinfolklore Analytical Method. Igor Shushko Russian social media brand. Why looking at mythology is particularly useful to help us parse data in our timeline.
27 August 2025
Today Decoding Trolls speaks about “how and why the Disinfolklore analytical method integrates a gender perspective.” He explained how this misogynistic viewpoint is used by Russia and others to portray Ukraine as weak and in need of direction and/or rescue. A discussion of European and other news followed.
20 August 2025
Decoding continues speaking of Disinfolklore as a mechanism of propaganda. He begins by interpreting the US/UA/EU talks in Washington DC and then moves on to speaking about the stealth genocide that Russia is perpetrating by creating a domestic situation completely dedicated to war, not just for territory in Ukraine, but in preparation for the destruction of other parts of Europe. Then stay for more discussions and news regarding Ukraine.
13 August 2025
Decoding speaks about the “Timeline of Emotions” and using TER (Trigger Experience Response) as one of the Disinfolklore tools to decode the Alaskan talks. By recognizing this cycle in the Disinfolklore galaxy, we are given a chance to put the brakes on our feelings and automatic responses.
06 August 2025
Today Decoding Trolls concentrated on russia’s use of the “provocation cycle “, where the russians are able to attack, concoct rationale for the attack, and blame their enemies for attacking. We also covered Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) role in russia’s activities. Decoding raised the possibility the Amnesty International created a good reputation for the purpose of supporting russia by repeating russia message and not refuting russia’s lies.
30 July 2025
Decoding reviewed case of BRADSHAW AND OTHERS v. THE UNITED KINGDOM(Application no. 15653/22) regarding election interference by Russia, however the court did not find for plaintiffs. No single piece of evidence was found to be inappropriate. However, given the outcome of the election, it seems apparent that information generated by Russia did have an impact on the election. Post election legal action is insufficient in protecting a nation from foreign influence. Immediate analysis of information may be effective in providing citizens with Information that counters foreign influence.
23 July 2025
Disinfolklore as a universal method for parsing communications for false stories and manipulations.
16 July 2025
Decoding summarized the steps of his process that went into the analytical tool he uses for analyzing “disinfolklore” today. He then went on to apply these principles to current events concerning Ukraine. In the second hour they discussed Ukraine news updates and drone warfare.
09 July 2025
Decoding Trolls as they expand on the concept of manna, discuss the decision of European Court of Human Rights, and possibilities of automating disinformation analysis using artificial intelligence.
02 July 2025
Decoding Trolls as they discuss the rumored news of blocking of anti-ballistic missiles by the USA. Decoding Trolls also describes the concept of “mana” which roughly means the energy derived from a meme.
25 June 2025
Decoding Trolls recapped the meaning and intent of his Disinfolklore work, treated the term “dragnet”, read the meaning of a pro-Palestine graffiti, covered trump action in the middle-east as re-archetyping, spoke about the concept of the character in Disinfolklore, Manafort as pivotal character. There is also a brief news summary from Ukraine and the NATO meeting.
18 June 2025
Decoding Trolls about Tulsi Gabbard's archetyping, nuclear arms, the attack on Iran, Minsk IV, and more.
11 June 2025
Decoding Trolls about the six tools to detect and decrypt disinfolklore.
04 June 2025
Decoding Trolls about how Disinfolklore can inculcate lazy, dangerous & untrue mental routines, sometimes uncritically m repeated like “Putin will now nuke Ukraine in revenge” or “don’t poke the bear.” AI also both integrates and has the capacity to troll us into adopting lazy, dangerous and untrue mental routines as well.
28 May 2025
Listen in as Decoding Trolls explains his methods for recognizing Russian use of disinformation especially related to cultural/ethnic connections.
Guest Appearances
Silicon Curtain
Russia’s Mythical Falsehoods Have Fooled Foreign Policy Professionals & Politicians
1,700+ likes and 425+ comments on YouTube
Trump Destined to be Manipulated and Abused by Putin and to Betray his Interests
63,000+ views, 3,400+ likes on YouTube
Radicalised Pod
Episode 87: Decoding Trolls with Stephen Douglas
Bette Dangerous
Bette’s Happy Hour with Stephen Douglas (June 2024), hosted by Heidi Siegmund Cuda:
“He manages to connect the dots in his work to show how it’s all about coercive control through story-telling, where the trolls like Putin and Trump — in their telling — never lose.”
YouTube
Disinfolklore
On the origin of the Disinfolklore folktale genre
Podcast | From the Færy Tale Museum
PayPal and Russian Mafia’s Struggle for Donald was Won This Week
Why cancel Radio Free Europe?
Saving Conservatism — How to Make the Right Right Again!
Finding Manuland
What I do as a writer
Video Podcast | Finding Manuland — Hunt for Menua’s Stables
Podcast | Finding Manuland — Road to Tushpa / Van
Video Podcast: Edessa and Göbekli Tepe
How we can know M-N- sound’s ubiquity inside Turkic languages
Podcasts
Three podcast channels across the Disinfolklore universe:
Disinfolklore
Decoding Trolls (Pensées)
Finding Manuland
Academic Papers, Citations and Journalism
Disinfolklore on Google Scholar
Main Source — OSCE Moscow Mechanism Report (2022)
Cited as a Main Source in the OSCE Moscow Mechanism Report (ODIHR.GAL/26/22/Rev.1, April 2022) — the international community’s first investigation into Russia’s violations of international humanitarian and human rights law after 24 February 2022, invoked by 45 participating States. The report identifies “experienced individuals like Stephen Douglas, formerly of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine” among its primary sources.
The ECHR Grand Chamber subsequently cited these OSCE reports and placed “substantial weight” on them in Ukraine and the Netherlands v. Russia (Applications nos. 8019/16, 43800/14, 28525/20 and 11055/22) — the definitive judgment on Russia’s occupation and war in Ukraine since February 2014.
Cited in Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics
Cited in Yolles (2025), “The Psychological Impact of Technology: Narrative Memetics and Psychosocial Contagion in Digital Network”, Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics, in: Patrizia Gazzola & Gandolfo Dominici (ed.), Technology and Society — Boon or Bane?, pages 16-43, Springer:
“Disinformation as a subset of Disinfolklore…Disinfolklore: A more advanced form of manipulation, disinfolklore distorts cultural narratives and symbols to foster division. By manipulating archetypes and myths, it evokes emotional responses tied to identity, pride, or nostalgia, often leading to guilt or shame. This manipulation fosters cognitive dissonance and undermines collective identity (Douglas, 2024).”
Cited in International Journal of Management and Applied Science (IJMABS)
Cited as “disinfolklore (misinformation embedded in persuasive cultural myth: Douglas, 2023)” in Yolles (2025), “Restoring coherence in an age of fragmentation: informational realism and systemic viability”, International Journal of Management and Applied Science.
Referenced in Der Standard (Austria)
Disinfolklore analysis quoted by readers in the comments of “Präsident legt Cyberangriff auf rumänische Wahlbehörde für prorussischen Kandidaten offen”, Der Standard (December 2024). A reader cited the author’s Substack analysis of how Brad Parscale publicly admitted using the same tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) deployed by the pro-Russian Romanian presidential candidate.
Cited in The Washington Post
Cited in “Russia’s dysfunctional military culture gives Ukraine an advantage”, The Washington Post (2022). Opinion piece on Ukraine’s cultural and military resilience against Russia.
Cited in Routledge — Kindness in Leadership
Cited in Thomas, Michael, Lalit Johri, and Gay Haskins, eds. Kindness in Leadership. 1st ed. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2018. Print. pp. 168-169. The author wrote:
“I would relate ‘kindness’ to ‘compassion’ and to ‘generosity’ — generosity is the first of six perfections in my faith that are successively more important: ethical discipline, patience, joyous perseverance, equipoise and insight/wisdom. Kindness is very central to this. Combining these practices with my work is a delicious challenge.”
A premonition of what would become the Code of Positive Trolls and Adjudication Tools 7-12.
Book Review in Economic and Political Weekly (India)
Review of Donovan & Murphy, The Fall of the Celtic Tiger: Ireland and the Euro Debt Crisis, published in Economic and Political Weekly (Vol. 49, Issue 32, August 2014) — India’s premier economy-focused weekly journal. The review analysed Ireland’s dramatic boom-to-bust cycle and its lessons for policymakers worldwide.
Op-Ed in the Belfast Newsletter
“‘Spectre’ of liberalism now has right-wingers on the run – in NI too”, Belfast Newsletter (2019) — one of the oldest daily newspapers in the world, established in 1737. Written after the Alliance Party took a European Parliament seat for the first time, the op-ed argued that a resilient progressive, pro-EU, pro-multicultural force was gathering power across Europe — countering the narrative that populist right movements were inexorably ascendant.