Why are we seeing democratic backsliding? In workshops, seminars and publications CEDAR is at the forefront of discussions on where and why we see resilience.
The Centre for Elections, Democracy, Accountability and Representation (CEDAR) recently held several workshops to explore the state of democracy in the globe. As part of the strategic partnership between the Universities of Leiden and Birmingham colleagues from both institutions met to discuss democratic resilience, exploring the role played by actors, institutions and the international context. Their research highlighted the role of time in processes of backsliding and resilience. Publications and a further policy-focused workshop in Sofia are forthcoming.
In mid-June, Nic Cheeseman along with CEDAR’s partners from the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) and the International Development Research Centre convened a community of practice meeting on Birmingham’s campus.
The event brought together academics from several universities (Oxford, Cornell, Aston, Salford, SOAS, Belgrade, as well as many colleagues from Birmingham), WFD and the wider policy and practitioner community (including IDEA, OECD, Batory Foundation, the European Partnership for Democracy, Overseas Development Institute and several officials from the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office). Moreover, the final session featured Anneliese Dodds, the Former Minister of State for Development.
The workshop discussed future-proofing political institutions, the impact of democratic decline on women’s rights, and the challenges facing high level donor representatives and decision-makers when strengthening democracy abroad? Although events around the world provide a gloomy picture, contributions to the discussions showed how politicians, civil society actors and the international community can help tilt the balance back in favour of democracy.
The workshop followed hard on the heels of recent publication by the core CEDAR team including Licia Cianetti’s co-authored article, What is a “regime”? Three definitions and their implications for the future of regime studies published in Democratization, Nic Cheeseman and colleagues’ article on the 2022 elections in Kenya, and Tim Haughton’s co-authored articles on the 2023 elections in Slovakia and Poland and the lessons they tell us about backsliding and resilience in contemporary Europe.
Professor of Comparative and European Politics
Tim Haughton is a political scientist with a particular interest in electoral and party politics
Associate Professor in Political Science and International Studies
Licia Cianetti is a comparative political scientist focusing on how democracies work and change in practice, beyond elections. Her research includes democracy studies, minority politics, urban studies, and public policy
Professor of Democracy and International Development
Nic Cheeseman is Professor of Democracy and International Development at the University of Birmingham.
