Spoiler: There are no silver bullets, but we show viable pathways and demonstrate that democratic resistance is most effective when actions across institutions, politics, and society reinforce each other. 🤝 Unity makes strength, really!

We explore the combinations of institutional, political, social, and external actions of democratic resistance that can stop autocratization episodes ✋@sciencepoulb.bsky.social

To our knowledge this is the largest comparative assessment of resistance to autocratization so far: we use data mainly from @vdeminstitute.bsky.social and DEED @demerosiondec.bsky.social

Publication alert ❗📘👀
New open access article on autocratization and democratic survival on @ejprjournal.bsky.social together with the brilliant Guido Panzano (Kiel): what configuration of resistance actions account for democratic survival during autocratization? www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

It has become received wisdom in Brussels and Washington that there is a new “euro-sclerosis”: that the EU economy is lagging the US

This view is wrong

A little primer on the measurement of productivity – and why reports of the economic death of Europe are greatly exaggerated🧵

And finally — a practical note! 🛠️
Planning to organise a workshop for the next @ECPR Joint Sessions in Innsbruck? 🏔️
Deadline: 30 September
Let us know — we’d be happy to endorse your proposal as a Research Network! 😉

🔹 Methods for studying regime change and political regimes
And more, please reach out and join us! 🙌

So, if you work on : 🔹 democratization & autocratization
🔹 conceptualization, theorization, measurement, and classification of political regimes
🔹analysis of regime's qualities, legitimacy, and internal structures
...

✔ Bring together scholars across approaches
✔ Foster dialogue on conceptual, theoretical, methodological, and empirical research linked to political regime studies
✔ Support early-career researchers
✔ Organize panels, workshops & joint publications within the ECPR framework
#PoliticalScience #ECPR

Together with Licia Cianetti @unibirmingham.bsky.social and Johannes Gerschewski @wzb.bsky.social, and the help and support of so many wonderful colleagues, we created this RN to:

Great news! 😁I am very happy to introduce the new ECPR Research Network on Comparative Regime Studies🎉 A new space for scholars working on #democracy, #autocracy, #hybridregimes, #autocratization #democratization, and everything in between.👇 ecpr.eu/group/compar...

Leonardo Morlino in Memoriam (1947-2025)
www.ipsa.org/na/news/leon...

Territorial dynamics and deepening autocratization: exploring the role of gated communities in Shanghai's COVID-19 response This article, through an anthropological lens inspired by Anthony Leeds’ concept of locality, examines the interplay between urban governance and autocratization in Shanghai’s gated communities dur...

6/ Finally, how do Shanghai’s gated communities navigate authoritarian deepening? Virginie Arantes @wenjiening.bsky.social explores their role in urban governance during COVID-19, showing how they foster public participation under strong state control 👇🏼
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Warsaw and Istanbul in de-democratising countries. Democratic enclaves or sham democracies? Many large cities after the success of opposition in local elections are becoming ‘democratic enclaves’ in the de-democratising countries. It is worth posing a question about the effectiveness of t...

5/ Can Warsaw & Istanbul remain democratic enclaves under autocratization? 🏙️ Adam Szimańsky examines how long-term democratic deficits, & national de-democratization & centralization weaken their resilience👇🏼
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Cities against democratic backsliding: democratic resilience through urban resistance in the Visegrád 4 capitals How do cities fight democratic backsliding on the national level? Set in an increasingly illiberal context, the four Visegrád capitals (V4 capitals) Bratislava, Budapest, Prague and Warsaw have ele...

4/Aron Buzogány @buzogany.bsky.social & Tobias Spöry @tobiasspoeri.bsky.social analyze city democracy & diplomacy in the Visegrád capitals: Bratislava, Budapest, Prague & Warsaw👇🏼 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Local democratic resistance to autocratisation: evidence from Budapest, Banja Luka, and Zagreb Local opposition forces often win local elections in key cities in autocratising countries. However, we still know too little about the interplay between local and national regime developments. The...

3/Guido Panzano, Simone Benazzo, and Venelin Bochev examine Budapest, Banja Luka & Zagreb, highlighting three key strategies: 🤝🏻 coalitions & leadership, 🏛️ local institutions, 🗞️ media & alternative rethoric. 👇🏼 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

First survive, then thrive: major urban centres and resistance against autocratisation This article highlights the critical yet overlooked role of subnational entities, particularly cities, in autocratisation processes. While research often emphasizes national factors, cities can act...

2/First, me, Giulia Sandri and Adam Szimańsky, tackle three key questions: 1️⃣ What explains democratic enclaves in cities during autocratization? 2️⃣ How do they resist national autocratization? 3️⃣ What is their potential for sustaining democracy? 👇🏼 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

1/ 📢 New Special issue of Contemporary Politics. @sciencepoulb.bsky.social The SI explores the critical role of subnational entities – and in particular major cities – in autocratization processes. #Autocratization #ComparativePolitics #SubnationalPolitics

Territorial dynamics and deepening autocratization: exploring the role of gated communities in Shanghai's COVID-19 response This article, through an anthropological lens inspired by Anthony Leeds’ concept of locality, examines the interplay between urban governance and autocratization in Shanghai’s gated communities dur...

6/ Finally, how do Shanghai’s gated communities navigate authoritarian deepening? 🏙️ Arantes explores their role in urban governance during COVID-19, showing how they foster public participation under strong state control 👉 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Warsaw and Istanbul in de-democratising countries. Democratic enclaves or sham democracies? Many large cities after the success of opposition in local elections are becoming ‘democratic enclaves’ in the de-democratising countries. It is worth posing a question about the effectiveness of t...

5/ Can Warsaw & Istanbul remain democratic enclaves under autocratization? 🏙️ Adam Szimańsky examines how long-term democratic deficits, national de-democratization & centralization weaken their resilience 👉 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Cities against democratic backsliding: democratic resilience through urban resistance in the Visegrád 4 capitals How do cities fight democratic backsliding on the national level? Set in an increasingly illiberal context, the four Visegrád capitals (V4 capitals) Bratislava, Budapest, Prague and Warsaw have ele...

4/ 🏙️ Aron Buzogány @buzogany.bsky.social & Tobias Spöri @tobiasspoeri.bsky.social analyze city democracy & diplomacy in the Visegrád capitals: Bratislava, Budapest, Prague & Warsaw 👉

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Local democratic resistance to autocratisation: evidence from Budapest, Banja Luka, and Zagreb Local opposition forces often win local elections in key cities in autocratising countries. However, we still know too little about the interplay between local and national regime developments. The...

3/ Guido Panzano, Simone Benazzo & Venelin Bochev examine Budapest, Banja Luka & Zagreb, highlighting three key strategies: 🤝 coalitions & leadership, 🏛️ local institutions, 🗞️ media & alternative rhetoric. Read more 👉 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

First survive, then thrive: major urban centres and resistance against autocratisation This article highlights the critical yet overlooked role of subnational entities, particularly cities, in autocratisation processes. While research often emphasizes national factors, cities can act...

2/ First, me @giuliasandri.bsky.social, and Adam Szimańsky, tackle three key questions: 1️⃣ What explains democratic enclaves in cities during autocratization? 2️⃣ How do they resist national autocratization? 3️⃣ What is their potential for sustaining democracy? 📖👇 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

First survive, then thrive: major urban centres and resistance against autocratisation This article highlights the critical yet overlooked role of subnational entities, particularly cities, in autocratisation processes. While research often emphasizes national factors, cities can act...

🚨 New publication alert! 🚨
Our latest paper “First survive, then thrive: major urban centres and resistance against autocratisation,” is now out ! 🏙️⚖️ This piece also introduces a special issue on urban spaces and democratic resilience.

🔗 www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

South Korea Is Fighting for Democracy Again—And the World Needs to Know Last updated December 3, 10:09 AM South Korea Is Fighting for Democracy Again—And the World Needs to Know Heesoo Jang Assistant Professor of Media Law and Ethics Journalism Department, University of...

I was preparing to pitch an op-ed on the nationwide protests calling for President Yoon's resignation, aiming to provide global context amid the limited international coverage.

Given the urgency, I’m sharing it now. I didn’t expect events to escalate this quickly. #SouthKorea #Democracy

Protesters push a MP into the parliament. Very powerful symbolism. #democracy #SouthKorea

Highly recommended!👇🏼

Yes! Thanks Konstantin!!!

Opposition Strategies, Affective Polarisation and Autocratisation: Origins and Effects European Consortium for Political Research

TWO MORE DAYS TO SUBMIT A PAPER! 😅

I am co-organizing a workshop with Mahmoud Farag
@TUDarmstadt
“Opposition Strategies, Affective #Polarisation and #Autocratisation”
@ecpr.bsky.social #ecprjs25
20-23 May 2025. Deadline 21 Nov 2024.

APPLY HERE!
ecpr.eu/Events/Event...

Sure!😄😄 added!😉👋🏻