The Theory and Practice of Democracy Promotion
The
end of WWII and the establishment of the United Nations, the democratization of
Portugal and Spain, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the popular uprisings in North
Africa and the Middle East, commonly referred to as the Arab Uprising or “Arab
Spring”, and before that the introduction of suffrage in the United States and
the Representation of the People Act of 1918 in the United Kingdom; all are
important milestones in the evolution of democracy. Those milestones raised
questions about the need for democratic reform and highlighted the importance
of and controversies around democratization and democracy promotion.
But
what is democracy promotion? And who, if any, has the responsibility to promote
it? Can we consider it an ethical and moral responsibility? Or is it a legal
obligation? Is democracy promotion a new concept in diplomacy and international
relations? Or has it evolved with the so-called waves of democracy? Is
democracy measurable? And how, if at all, can we gauge it? How relevant is the
theory of democracy promotion to its practice? What are the challenges that the
different actors involved in democracy promotion face?
Democracy
promotion can take many forms and has arguably undergone different phases. In
fact, the very essence of the term “democracy promotion” is being questioned
both by academics and practitioners in the field alike.
In
this course, we will explore the theoretical and practical aspects of democracy
promotion. The course will the look into the definition(s) of democracy
promotion, its theoretical and philosophical frameworks, and how it evolved
over time responding to global and local transformations. We will also discuss
the ethical dilemmas and debates surrounding democracy promotion and the
different attempts to gauge democracy and measure the success of its promotion.
In
addition to the theoretical framework and academic debates, this course will
offer you an opportunity to learn about the work of actors involved in the
practice of democracy promotion, including governments, international
governmental and nongovernmental organizations based on firsthand experiences.
The course will address methodologies, structures, and the risks and challenges
these actors face including funding, perception, resistance to their practice,
and other factors that will be highlighted.
- Lehrende: Sherif Alaa