Research

International democracy promotion has been a core component of foreign and development policy agendas for decades – from the widely criticized “Freedom Agenda” of the US Bush administration (2001–2009), which associated democracy promotion with regime change through military means, to the peaceful democratization movements in the context of the Arab Spring (2010–2012). Both episodes have shown how contentious the question is of what external actors can and should do – and where the limits and contradictions of such influence on the internal order of other states lie. Today, the focus has shifted: in the face of a global wave of autocratization, increasingly restricted civic space, and new geopolitical competition over political systems, protecting and promoting democracy now stand together at the forefront. At the core of the EDP network’s work is the scholarly engagement with this broad range of questions on the foundations and practice of protecting and promoting democracy internationally. Our expertise spans actors, strategies, processes, and instruments as well as the specific conditions and factors across different world regions.

Our current research program: Conceptualizing and Theorizing International Democracy Promotion in Times of Global Autocratization

The question of how to protect democracy from erosion in the face of advancing democratic decline worldwide is gaining increasing importance. The EDP network’s new research program addresses this challenge. Its aim is to understand how the following three dimensions of autocratization affect international democracy promotion and how they are interrelated:

  1. (1) Autocratization in recipient countries affects the goals, strategies, resources, and potential impact of democracy promotion and protection.
  2. (2) Current autocratization trends affect democratic countries that are donors of democracy support, particularly the United States and the member states of the European Union (EU).
  3. (3) Autocratization changes the global context in which democracy promotion takes place. It challenges and transforms the material leverage and normative foundations of international democracy promotion.

The EDP network’s main goal is therefore to develop a multi-perspective theory on the effects of autocratization on international democracy promotion. On the one hand, the network aims to make a comprehensive contribution to theorizing democracy promotion. On the other hand, it translates its findings into actionable policy recommendations.

 

 

Previous Activities

Democracy Promotion as Interaction

  • 2025. Organization of the Workshop “International Democracy Promotion at Times of Global Autocratisation.” at the University St. Gallen (HSG) in St. Gallen.
  • 2019. Publication of the Special Issue  “The Negoziation of Democracy Promotion. Issues, Parameters and Consequences“  in the Journal Democratization (Vol. 26, No. 5).
  • 2017. Organization of the Workshop “’Whither the End of the Liberal Order.’ Do Societal Values Influence the Effectiveness of Democracy Support?” at the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) in Bonn.
  • 2016. Organization of the Workshop “Democracy Promotion as Interaction: Rethinking the External-Internal Interplay in International Relations“ at the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF) in Frankfurt.
  • 2015. Organization of the Expert Workshop “Interaction between Internal and External Actors in Democracy Promotion“ at the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) in Bonn.

“Critical Junctures” and the Promotion of Democratic Processes

  • 2015. Organization of the Panel “How do They Deal with Critical Junctures? External and Domestic Actors in Times of Crisis” at the Annual Conference of the International Studies Association (ISA) in New Orleans.
  • 2013. Organization of the Panel “Critical Junctures in Democracy Promotion” at the General Conference of the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR) in Bordeaux.
  • 2012. Publication of the Special Issue “Do all Good Things Go Together? Conflicting Objectives in Democracy Promotion“  in the Journal Democratization (Vol. 19, No. 3); reprinted as Special Issue Book at Routledge.

Challenges in Democracy Promotion

  • 2025. Publication of the Special Issue  “Democracy Promotion in Times of Autocratization“  in the Journal Democratization (Vol. 37, No. 7).
  • 2019. Organization of the Workshop “Why to Fight Against Dictatorship at High Personal Costs? Studying Political Activism and its Leadership in Autocracies” at the Peace Research Institute (PRIF) in Frankfurt.
  • 2012. Organization of the Panel “Global Challenges in Democracy Promotion: The Actors” and the Panel “Global Challenges in Democracy Promotion: The Issues” at the Joint Conference of the British International Studies Association (BISA) and the International Studies Association (ISA) in Edinburgh.
  • 2011. Organization of the Panel “Religious Actors in Democratization Consolidation: Evidence from the Five Muslim Democracies” at the Annual Conference of the American Political Science Association (APSA) in Seattle.

Conflicting Objectives in Democracy Promotion

  • 2011. Organization of the Panel “Religious Actors in Democratization Consolidation: Evidence from the Five Muslim Democracies” at the Annual Conference of the American Political Science Association (APSA) in Seattle.
  • 2010. Organization of the Section 13 “Challenges of Democracy Promotion: Do all Good Things Go Together?” with 7 Panels at the Annual Conference of the Standing Group International Relations in Stockholm.