It seems hard to deny that the most salient feature of recent global political trends has been the ‘erosion,’ ‘backsliding,’ ‘retreat,’ or simply, ‘crisis’ of democracy. Across the globe, serious concerns have been raised about the dangers of populism, polarization, and the spread of extremism. The signs of the decline of trust in democratic institutions and the norms that undergird them have been repeatedly reported, even from democracies that are regarded solidly established since long. The current state of democracy in the world obviously calls for a concerted effort to better understand this worrisome tendency and the possible ways to overcome it. This track solicits panels and individual papers that deal with various aspects of the ongoing trend of autocratization and the efforts to renew and strengthen democratic commitments and performances. The organizers welcome a wide range of submissions, from a broad conceptual and theoretical discussion to an empirical study with a specific regional or thematic focus. Possible topics include, but are not limited to,
- the analysis of the causes, modalities, and effects of various stages of autocratization in different parts of the world,
- the conceptual and theoretical tools to better comprehend them, and
- the efforts to reinvigorate democratic institutions and norms in the face of these challenges. Together, the panels will contribute to deepening our understanding of the current stage of democratic evolution and the future directions for reform measures.
This track is organized jointly by two institutions at Seoul National University, the Democracy Cluster of the Institute for Future Strategy and the Institute for Unification and Peace Studies.