Dynamics of Interaction in Contexts of Shrinking Civic Space

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Since the turn of the millennium, political developments in numerous countries worldwide have been shaped by a phenomenon that is discussed as shrinking civic space: the increasing use of legal, administrative and extra-legal instruments of state coercion and the related usage of enforcement institutions in order to restrict the scope of action of civil society actors and their international supporters.

The project investigates the interaction between governmental strategies of restriction and domestic and international responses. This interaction is studied in three separate fields. First, the project analyzes resistance to so-called NGO laws, i.e. legal restrictions on civic space. Second, a dissertation project has set out to study the interplay between governmental restrictions, domestic election observers, and international democracy support in the context of electoral processes. Third, the project looks at civic space restrictions and domestic protest dynamics in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The project ties in with research on shrinking civic space conducted within the framework of the previous research in the context of the project "Justice Conflicts in the Promotion of Democracy" and the International Consortium on Closing Civic Space (iCon) . It is also embedded in the work of the research network "External Democratization Policy" (EDP) . For important preliminary work, see the article "The contested spaces of civil society in a plural world: Norm contestation in the debate about restrictions on international civil society support"  and the special issue with Democratization entitled "The negotiation of democracy promotion".

Members

Project Lead

Jonas Wolff

Jonas Wolff

Staff

Felix Bethke

Felix Bethke

Rebecca Wagner

Rebecca Wagner

Publications

  • The EU Response to Foreign Interference
    | 2023
    Harth, Lukas; Kriener, Florian; Wolff, Jonas (2023): The EU Response to Foreign Interference, Heidelberg Journal of International Law (HJIL)/Zeitschrift für ausländisches öffentliches Recht und Völkerrecht (ZaöRV), 83: 2, 197–207. DOI: 10.17104/0044-2348-2023-2-197
  • Shrinking Civic Spaces as a complex challenge to human rights and peace
    | 2023
    Wolff, Jonas (2023): Shrinking Civic Spaces as a complex challenge to human rights and peace, Zeitschrift für Menschenrechte/Journal for Human Rights, 17: 1, 171–184.
    Publication
  • Lockdown of Expression
    | 2023
    Bethke, Felix S.; Wolff, Jonas (2023): Lockdown of Expression. Civic space restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic as a response to mass protests, Democratization, 30: 6. DOI: 10.1080/13510347.2023.2209021
  • Transnationale Sicherheitsrisiken: Politische Polarisierung in Zeiten der Krise
    | 2023
    Bartenstein, Aline; Wolff, Jonas; Albrecht, Stephen; Bethke, Felix S.; Brost, Lea; Hegemann, Hendrik; Junk, Julian; Kahl, Martin; Klöckner, Mona; Janina, Pawelz; Zschocke, Paul (2023): Transnationale Sicherheitsrisiken: Politische Polarisierung in Zeiten der Krise, in: Bonn International Center for Conversion (BICC)/Leibniz-Institut Hessische Stiftung Friedens- und Konfliktforschung (HSFK)/Institut für Friedensforschung und Sicherheitspolitik an der Universität Hamburg (IFSH)/Institut für Entwicklung und Frieden (INEF) (eds), Friedensgutachten 2023, Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, 123-141.
    Publication
  • From the Varieties of Democracy to the defense of liberal democracy
    | 2023
    Wolff, Jonas (2023): From the Varieties of Democracy to the defense of liberal democracy. V-Dem and the reconstitution of liberal hegemony under threat, Contemporary Politics, 29: 2, 161-181. DOI: 10.1080/13569775.2022.2096191
  • Defending Civic Space: Successful Resistance Against NGO Laws in Kenya and Kyrgyzstan
    | 2021
    Berger-Kern, Nora; Hetz, Fabian; Wagner, Rebecca; Wolff, Jonas (2021): Defending Civic Space: Successful Resistance Against NGO Laws in Kenya and Kyrgyzstan, Global Policy, Special Issue, Restricting NGOs: From Pushback to Accommodation, 84–94. DOI: 10.1111/1758-5899.12976
  • Demokratien auf der Kippe: Globale Trends und Bedrohungen (Transnationale Sicherheitsrisiken)
    | 2021
    Albrecht, Stephen; Bethke, Felix S.; Hegemann, Hendrik; Junk, Julian; Kahl, Martin; Janina, Pawelz; Wolff, Jonas (2021): Demokratien auf der Kippe: Globale Trends und Bedrohungen (Transnationale Sicherheitsrisiken), in: BICC/HSFK/INEF/ISFH (eds), Friedensgutachten 2021. Europa kann mehr!, Bielefeld: Transcript, 137–155.
  • Die Corona-Pandemie als Bedrohung zivilgesellschaftlicher Handlungsspielräume
    | 2020
    Bethke, Felix S.; Wolff, Jonas (2020): Die Corona-Pandemie als Bedrohung zivilgesellschaftlicher Handlungsspielräume, Forschungsjournal Soziale Bewegungen, 33: 3, 671–676. DOI: 10.1515/fjsb-2020-0057
  • COVID-19 and shrinking civic spaces: patterns and consequences
    | 2020
    Bethke, Felix S.; Wolff, Jonas (2020): COVID-19 and shrinking civic spaces: patterns and consequences, Zeitschrift für Friedens- und Konfliktforschung, 9: 2. DOI: 10.1007/s42597-020-00038-w
  • Preventing Civic Space Restrictions
    | 2019
    Baldus, Jana; Berger-Kern, Nora; Hetz, Fabian; Poppe, Annika Elena; Wolff, Jonas (2019): Preventing Civic Space Restrictions. An Exploratory Study of Successful Resistance Against NGO Laws, PRIF Report, 1, Frankfurt/M.

Partner

Fabian Hetz