German Research Network „External Democracy Promotion (EDP)“: On concept- and theory-building of international democracy promotion in times of global autocratization

• Applicant: Privatdozentin Dr. Julia Leininger
• Subject Area: Political Science
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 555510500

The proposed project makes a substantial contribution to the development of theory in the study of external democracy promotion. It seeks answers to the overarching question of what influence autocratization has on the strategies and practice of international democracy promotion and how these influences can be conceptualized and theorized. It systematically brings together findings from existing and ongoing empirical and theoretical-conceptual work by its members and expands on these with the aim of closing three research gaps. First, it identifies, conceptualizes and theorizes the effects of autocratization in recipient countries on the politics of international democracy promotion. Second, it examines and theorizes the implications of autocratization in donor countries for democracy promotion strategy formation and practice. Third, it analyzes the influence of global shifts in norms and power due to the rise of non-democratic donors and theorizes their consequences for international democracy promotion policy.

• DFG Programme: Scientific Networks
• Co-Investigator: Professor Dr. Jonas Wolff