In this research pillar, we study how k
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It has long been known that democracies rely on written laws and constitutions. A democracy can’t survive without a democratic constitution. But democracies rely not just onwritten constitutions alone but also upon unwritten rules --or democratic norms. Norms matter at the level of politicians and how they interact with each other and at the level of every-day politics of citizens. Two of the most significant norms for the functioning of democracy have been the norm of mutual toleration (“gegenseitige Achtung”) and forbearance (“Zurückhaltung”). Politicians, if they follow the written law, can still assault democracy by violating democratic norms.
The term "democracy" can take on a plethora of meanings - in political science as much as in the real world. What “democracy” means often differs drastically between people, between political scientists, and between both of these groups. Within this project, we explore whether different understandings of democracy can explain differences in political orientation, including support for for-right parties.
This research pillar examines the dynamics of democratization and autocratization from a cross-national perspective, shedding light on how and why regimes transition between democracy and autocracy. It addresses critical questions, such as the economic consequences of regime change, or the role of institutions and mass mobilization in shaping regime trajectories. Projects under this pillar explore pathways to democracy, transnational repression by authoritarian states, and the conditions under which regimes experience significant transformations. By analyzing episodes of regime change and their drivers, this work advances our understanding of the global patterns and local mechanisms that define political regime transformations.