On 16 May, EBA organised a seminar where Adea Gafuri, Elizaveta Kopacheva, and Valeriya Mechkova presented and discussed their theses in the field of political representation and ways to counter democratic decline.
The Expert Group for Aid Studies, EBA, has published three Development Dissertation Briefs (DDBs) based on doctoral theses recently published at Swedish universities on this theme. They examine questions such as: How does aid affect democratisation processes and citizens’ attitudes? What role do social networks play in political participation in semi-autocratic contexts? And which institutional and societal factors influence the relationship between women’s descriptive and substantive representation in politics?
Read the Development Dissertation Briefs:
“Democracy assistance programs likely improve democracy in developing countries. We also must consider the increasing influence of autocratic donors that offer alternatives and fast-paced projects that allow for local ownership but are more easily manipulated by politicians.” Adea Gafuri, Swedish Institute of Foreign Affairs, Stockholm, Aid by Democratic Versus Autocratic Donors: Democratization Processes and Citizens’ Perceptions in Recipient Countries
“It is not mainly political knowledge or social trust that determine individuals´ propensity to participate politically. Instead, financial resources play a crucial role in enabling individuals to navigate risks following political activism.” Elizaveta Kopacheva, Department of Political Science, Linneaus University, Challenges to Protest Participation in Non-Democratic Contexts: A Privilege of the Privileged
“Women´s political representation can have transformative effects on political outcomes. But country context matters, specifically, level of democracy, corruption, and the strength of civil society.” Valeriya Mechkova, Department of Political Science, University of Gothenburg, When Does Women’s Political Representation Lead to Policy Change?