Democratization

From the streets to the ballots: protests, polls and polarization in Hong Kong Social movement research indicates that protests can influence voting behaviour through several informational and psychological mechanisms. Yet, we know little about the individual variation in how...

I’m very happy to share that the first paper of my PhD, «From the streets to the ballots: Protests, polls and Polarization in Hong Kong» has been published online in @democratization.bsky.social

It is open access, and you can read it here:
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Diffusion of digital authoritarian practices in China’s neighbourhood: the cases of Iran and Pakistan This article examines mechanisms for the diffusion of digital authoritarian practices, focusing on China and two of its regional partners in South and West Asia: Iran and Pakistan. We investigate t...

“Diffusion of Digital Authoritarian Practices in China’s Neighbourhood: The Cases of Iran and Pakistan.”

by Galib Bashirov, Shahram Akbarzadeh, @ihsanylmz.bsky.social and Zahid Shahab Ahmed

in @democratization.bsky.social (2025)

#AutumnReading

China’s active defence against democracy promotion: a conceptual analysis This article examines the Xi Jinping regime’s strategic intent behind its activities that, in effect, facilitate the global autocratization trend. I argue that the Xi regime’s ideological policies ...

"China’s Active Defence Against Democracy Promotion: A Conceptual Analysis"

by Sungmin Cho in @democratization.bsky.social ‪‪‬(2025)

#AutumnReading

📄 🚨 New Research on Polarization, Fragmentation, and Democracy in @democratization.bsky.social

Nils-Christian Bormann and I explore the impact of ideological polarization and fragmentation on the democratic systems of interwar Europe: lnkd.in/erjJr9qF
#polarization #democracy #data #history (1/4)

"Populists before power: delegitimization strategies against independent judiciaries" by Philipp Köker, Tilko Swalve, Merle Huber, Christoph Hönnige and Dominic Nyhuis Abstract: Research on the dangers of authoritarian populism for liberal democracy has almost exclusively focused on “populists in power” and those cases where dramatic changes have occurred. However, there is a notable gap in understanding the strategies and dangers of “populists before power”. We argue that authoritarian populists also pose a threat where they cannot effect constitutional change. By using “delegitimization strategies” they can significantly weaken liberal democratic institutions through a systematic erosion of public trust. Focusing on independent judiciaries as targets, we illustrate how attacks that link criticism of decisions, judges and judicial institutions with narratives of systemic failure may unfold and highlight the value of delegitimization within the larger populist tool kit. Thereby, the paper lays the conceptual foundation for an integrated research agenda on “populist before power”, including counter-reactions to delegitimization attempts, and contributes to the growing literature on the relationship between populism and democracy.

We have page numbers 🥳 Independent #judiciaries around the world are under threat from authoritarian #populists - but the threat starts long before these actors enter office! More on the dangers of "populists before power" 👉👉👉 doi.org/10.1080/1351... #OpenAccess @democratization.bsky.social

The frenemy within: populism’s dual role in democratization Different approaches to democracy and populism lead to varied conclusions about their relationship. Some see populism as a threat to democracy, while others argue that it can contribute to democrat...

Excited to share my latest co-authored article with @toygarsinanbaykan.bsky.social in @democratization.bsky.social
“The Frenemy Within: Populism’s Dual Role in Democratization”
We explore how populism can both revive and erode democracy.
🔗 tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
@lse-ei.bsky.social

Populists before power: delegitimization strategies against independent judiciaries Research on the dangers of authoritarian populism for liberal democracy has almost exclusively focused on “populists in power” and those cases where dramatic changes have occurred. However, there i...

Mehr Informationen auch in unserem Aufsatz zu “Populists before power” in @democratization.bsky.social 👉 doi.org/10.1080/1351... und meinem Beitrag im @verfassungsblog.de 👉 verfassungsblog.de/delegitimier...

Democratic regression in comparative perspective: scope, methods, and causes Between 1974 and 2005, a majority of states became democratic for the first time in history. However, a global democratic recession began in 2006 and has persisted – and deepened – over the past 14...

📈 Larry Diamond’s “Democratic regression in comparative perspective” just hit T&F’s top Altmetric scores last week!
📖 Free to access through August: doi.org/10.1080/1351...
📊 Score details: www.altmetric.com/details/9064...

Concerned with conflicts over political liberties & the regime in federal states?
Just out in @democratization.bsky.social
- A new, regime-change driven „genotype of secession“.
- How it mattered in the breakup of the Soviet Union & Yugoslavia.
Is California next? www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

🇹🇳Me complace compartir nuestro nuevo artículo con @mhlarramendi.bsky.social y Antonio Alfonso:
“Voting with dissatisfaction: An analysis of the 2019 parliamentart election in Tunisia”
t.co/Y0CXK79EHf en @democratization.bsky.social
#Túnez @pablodeolavide.upo.es @humanidadesto.bsky.social

Democratic progress and women’s issue representation: evidence from the South Korean National Assembly, 1948–2022 How does democratic progress affect the evolution of women’s issues? Although previous studies showed the significance of democratic transition in mainstreaming women’s issues, little is known abou...

Now with page number! This article contends that women’s issues change as democracy deepens, and yet the relationship is not always linear but dynamic. We show it with 80 years of legislative debates in SK doi.org/10.1080/1351...

Civil society organizations in intelligence accountability: democratic ideals and practical limitations This study addresses a gap in Intelligence Studies by conducting an empirical investigation into how various civil society actors perceive their role in promoting accountability within the intellig...

How do authoritarian regimes wield tech? ‪‪@daraconduit.bsky.social‬ shows Iran’s digital authoritarianism isn’t just repression—it’s a state-building tool shaped by domestic political economy. Essential reading on authoritarian innovation. doi.org/10.1080/1351...

@williamhatu.bsky.social examines predictors for support for military rule. Perceived executive violation of the law, corruption in the president’s office + president’s underperformance influence support for military rule with trust in military as underlying factor. doi.org/10.1080/1351...

Think contested leadership races turn voters away? Think again. Competitive primaries aren't just democratic—they can also be an electoral asset. Javier Astudillo & @tonirodon.bsky.social @upf.edu doi.org/10.1080/1351...

What is a #regime? The answer is not as straightforward as it might seem, but is crucial for understanding how regimes operate and transform. Identifying procedural, actor-centred, and sociological approaches to regimes. @catherineowen.bsky.social #CEDARhttps://doi.org/10.1080/13510347.2025.2483418

How vulnerable are democracies to authoritarian influence? T Kobayashi, @yuanzhouir.bsky.social et al. find that illiberal narratives from China & Russia shape public opinion more strongly than mainstream democratic narratives—even when both are presented together. doi.org/10.1080/1351...

“Politics unusual”? Bobi Wine, People Power, and the ideology of popular opposition in Uganda What key ideas animate contemporary political movements in Africa, and how do they challenge—or reproduce—dominant (neo)liberal conceptions of democracy, development, and international relations? T...

Bobi Wine’s rise in Uganda isn’t a break from liberal norms—it’s a reassertion. This article by Luke Melchiorre shows how People Power draws from liberalism despite its revolutionary tone, challenging assumptions about African populism. doi.org/10.1080/1351...

Title page and abstract for the paper "Populists before power: delegitimization strategies against independent judiciaries" by Philipp Köker, Tilko Swalve, Merle Huber, Christoph Hönnige and Dominic Nyhuis. An open access version of the paper is available at https://doi.org/10.1080/13510347.2025.2470765

New paper with Tilko Swalve, Merle Huber, Christoph Hönnige & @donyhu.bsky.social now out in @democratization.bsky.social 🥳 We argue that we need to look more closely at the threats to liberal democracy posed by authoritarian “populists before power” 🚨
doi.org/10.1080/1351...

Democratic norm erosion and partisanship in the United States In recent decades, Americans have grown more dissatisfied with the performance of their democracy, while respect for basic democratic norms has eroded. In this article, we suggest a mechanism which...

Just read a new article in @democratization.bsky.social that I think offers an important insight for how pro-democracy actors should think about responding to Trump/Rubio's unlawful abductions of pro-Palestine activists:

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

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What is a “regime”? Three definitions and their implications for the future of regime studies This article examines how scholars use the concept of “regime” in comparative politics to provide stronger conceptual foundations for the future development of regime studies. We analyse 196 articl...

Delighted to share my latest article, entitled "What is a Regime? Three Definitions and their Implications for the Future of Regime Studies", co-authored with Licia Cianetti and Gianni Del Panta, published open access today in @democratization.bsky.social
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

What is a “regime”? Three definitions and their implications for the future of regime studies This article examines how scholars use the concept of “regime” in comparative politics to provide stronger conceptual foundations for the future development of regime studies. We analyse 196 articl...

This is a nice @democratization.bsky.social piece co-authored by @cais-exeter.bsky.social @catherineowen.bsky.social. I think my work is at the intersection of actor-centred & sociological approaches to regimes. The actors & their social context are transnational.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

The will of the people: populism and citizen participation in Latin America Published in Democratization (Ahead of Print, 2025)

🚀 Thrilled to see The Will of the People sparking debate!
📢 A thoughtful review by @adrianbua.bsky.social explores how the book tackles democracy’s paradoxes—from participation’s promises to perversions. @democratization.bsky.social

🔗 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Electoral autocracies, hybrid regimes, and multiparty autocracies: same, same but different? There is a wide range of labels, such as electoral autocracy, hybrid regimes, or multiparty autocracy, and corresponding empirical measures to describe and measure political regimes that combine au...

Ever felt uneasy about how concepts & measures of "grey zone" autocracies are used interchangeably across the literature? Then check out my 🚨new paper🚨 in @democratization.bsky.social and get some substance to back up your gut feeling: tinyurl.com/ypdm2kna Or at least read the main points below ⬇️

Electoral autocracies, hybrid regimes, and multiparty autocracies: same, same but different? There is a wide range of labels, such as electoral autocracy, hybrid regimes, or multiparty autocracy, and corresponding empirical measures to describe and measure political regimes that combine au...

New Publication! 📣
Did you ever think that all these measures for "hybrid" autocracies out there are kinda the same? Read "Electoral autocracies, hybrid regimes, and multiparty autocracies: same, same but different?" by @jonaswschmid.bsky.social in @democratization.bsky.social tinyurl.com/2vmyrw8e

All that is left is all that matters: the politics of social spending in authoritarian regimes This article investigates the political determinants of social spending in authoritarian regimes, focusing on health and education sectors. The theoretical argument builds on the assumption that di...

The article presents a summary of a substantive study conducted by @angelovpanaro.bsky.social and published recently on @democratization.bsky.social.

You can read the full article here:
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

When do governments enshrine digital rights restrictions into law?

Our Centre PhD candidate Maurice Schumann @realmps.bsky.social, explores this in his first solo article in @democratization.bsky.social.

Read more here: www.hertie-school.org/en/news/deta...

My new article is out in Democratization!

I show how opposition parties in authoritarian regimes use local electoral wins as stepping stones for national-level victories.

Free access: t.co/tgxrZ2rCJe

@democratization.bsky.social @gcpolisci.bsky.social

Waging an endless war is Netanyahu's "blood gambit".

He'll gladly watch the world burn if that's what it takes to stay in power. @yusufsarfati.bsky.social and I wrote about it recently for @democratization.bsky.social.

Link: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

DM for full text.

Die Attacken der #noAfD und anderer autoritärer Populisten gegen Richter:innen und Gerichte nehmen zu! Auf Basis unseres Aufsatzes in @democratization.bsky.social (doi.org/10.1080/1351...) erkläre ich hier, welche Strategie dahintersteckt und wie dadurch die Unabhängigkeit der Justiz gefährdet wird.

New Publication! 📣
When do governments limit digital rights through law? Read "Legalizing Control: The Rise of Restrictive Internet Regulation in Sub-Saharan Africa" by @realmps.bsky.social in @democratization.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1080/1351...
For a quick overview, read the 1-pager below.