Research Network “External Democracy Promotion”
The Research Network “External Democracy Promotion” (EDP) brings together political scientists from Germany and Europe who work at the intersection of international relations and comparative politics. Their common interest is in the range of cross-border activities of states, non-state actors and international organizations that pursue the declared aim of establishing, protecting or deepening democracy in other countries.
The EDP network builds and expands upon the discussion forum ”External Democratization Policy”, which was supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) from 2010 to 2015. The EDP network was launched in its current form in May 2015. Its current research focuses on the implications of current global trends of autocratization for the theory, conception and practice of international democracy promotion.
The EDP Wire provides regular updates, articles and commentary on EDP Network research.
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Between 2015 and 2019, the EDP network was funded by the Leibniz Association. Activities and publications focused on the dynamics of interaction in democracy promotion. The main outcome of this research phase is a special issue of the renowned journal Democratisation on “The negotiation of democracy promotion”, edited by network members Julia Leininger (IDOS), Jonas Wolff (PRIF) and former network member Annika E. Poppe (PRIF). The policy-oriented PRIF report “Democracy Promotion in Times of Uncertainty: Trends and Challenges”, published in late 2018 and presented in Berlin and Brussels in spring 2019, also addresses the current challenges of democracy promotion and possible responses.
In a new research project, the EDP network examines the impact of autocratization on the strategy and practice of international democracy promotion. To this end, the network systematically synthesizes and expands upon existing and ongoing empirical and theoretical-conceptual work by its members with the aim of filling three research gaps.
- First, the project identifies, conceptualizes, and theorizes the effects of autocratization in recipient countries on the politics of international democracy promotion.
- Second, it examines and theorizes the implications of autocratization in donor countries for the design and practice of democracy promotion strategies.
- Third, it analyzes the effects of global norm and power shifts due to the rise of non-democratic donors and theorizes their consequences for international democracy promotion policy.
Overall, the network makes a substantial contribution to the conceptualization and theorization of external democracy promotion research. The project is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) from 2025 to 2027.
Publications
- International Conference Dealing with Autocracies in a Fragmented World Conference Report
| 2023
Abb, Pascal; Weipert-Fenner, Irene; Wolff, Jonas; Driedger, Jonas J. (2023): International Conference Dealing with Autocracies in a Fragmented World Conference Report, PRIF Conference Report, Frankfurt a/M. - 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 - De-Demokratisierung und Konflikte um Demokratie in Lateinamerika
| 2023
Wolff, Jonas (2023): De-Demokratisierung und Konflikte um Demokratie in Lateinamerika. Implikationen für internationale Demokratieförderung, in: Maihold, Günther/Sangmeister, Hartmut (eds), Zwischen Moskau, Peking und Washington. Lateinamerika in der Großmachtkonkurrenz, Baden-Baden: Nomos, 199–207. - Practices of policy orientation
| 2023
Holthaus, Leonie; Wolff, Jonas (2023): Practices of policy orientation, International Studies Review, 25: 1. DOI: 10.1093/isr/viac062 - 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 - German Democracy Promotion: Change of Course under the Traffic Light Coalition?
| 2022
Wolff, Jonas (2022): German Democracy Promotion: Change of Course under the Traffic Light Coalition?, EDP Wire.
Publication - Talking about self-determination. Contested conceptions and political implications of an undisputed concept
| 2021
Wolff, Jonas (2021): Talking about self-determination. Contested conceptions and political implications of an undisputed concept, in: Ish-Shalom, Piki (eds), Concepts at Work. On the Linguistic Infrastructure of World Politics,, Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan, 24-42. - A New Framework for Dealing with Venezuela: From Democracy to Conflict Resolution
| 2021
Wolff, Jonas (2021): A New Framework for Dealing with Venezuela: From Democracy to Conflict Resolution, Carnegie Europe.
Publication - US Democracy Promotion after the Cold War
| 2020
Poppe, Annika Elena (2020): US Democracy Promotion after the Cold War. Stability, Basic Premises, and Policy toward Egypt, London: Routledge. - The negotiation of democracy promotion
| 2019
Poppe, Annika Elena; Leininger, Julia; Wolff, Jonas (2019): The negotiation of democracy promotion. Issues, parameters and consequences, London: Routledge.
Publication - Delegitimation of Civil Society Organisations
| 2019
Wolff, Jonas (2019): Delegitimation of Civil Society Organisations. Lessons from the Global South on “Foreign Agent” Narratives", in: European Civic Forum (eds), Activizenship, 3, Paris: European Civic Forum, 70-73. - Beyond contestation
| 2019
Poppe, Annika Elena; Leininger, Julia; Wolff, Jonas (2019): Beyond contestation. Conceptualizing negotiation in democracy promotion, Democratization, 26: 5, 777-795. DOI: 10.1080/13510347.2019.1568991 - Introduction. Negotiating the Promotion of Democracy
| 2019
Poppe, Annika Elena; Leininger, Julia; Wolff, Jonas (2019): Introduction. Negotiating the Promotion of Democracy, Democratization, 26: 5, 759-776. DOI: 10.1080/13510347.2019.1593379 - Gemeinnützigkeit in Deutschland: Karneval und Religion ja, Politik und Menschenrechte nein
| 2019
Poppe, Annika Elena; Wolff, Jonas (2019): Gemeinnützigkeit in Deutschland: Karneval und Religion ja, Politik und Menschenrechte nein, PRIF Blog.
Publication - Harmony and Resilience
| 2019
Poppe, Annika Elena (2019): Harmony and Resilience. US Democracy Promotion's Basic Premises, Foreign Policy Analysis, 15: 4, 530–547. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/isafpa/ory017 - Negotiating Between Unequal Neighbours: India's Role in Nepal's Recent Constitution-Making Process
| 2018
Bhattarai, Prakash (2018): Negotiating Between Unequal Neighbours: India's Role in Nepal's Recent Constitution-Making Process, PRIF Working Paper, 43, Frankfurt/M. - Responding to Closing Civic Space: Recent Experiences from Three Global Initiatives
| 2018
Hetz, Fabian; Poppe, Annika Elena (2018): Responding to Closing Civic Space: Recent Experiences from Three Global Initiatives, in: CSIS (eds), CSIS Human Rights Initiative Online Paper.
Publication - "Othering" Across and Beyond the Pond
| 2018
Poppe, Annika Elena (2018): "Othering" Across and Beyond the Pond, PRIF Blog (Repost from AICGS blog contribution).
Publication - Democracy Promotion in Times of Uncertainty
| 2018
EDP Network (2018): Democracy Promotion in Times of Uncertainty. Trends and Challenges, PRIF Report, 13, Frankfurt/M. - Democracy Promotion in the 21st Century
| 2018
Poppe, Annika Elena; Richter, Solveig; Wolff, Jonas (2018): Democracy Promotion in the 21st Century, in: Poppe, Annika Elena/Richter, Solveig/Wolff, Jonas (für das EDP Netzwerk) (eds), PRIF Report, 13. - Democracy Promotion and the Challenge of Shrinking Civic Spaces
| 2018
Poppe, Annika Elena; Wolff, Jonas (2018): Democracy Promotion and the Challenge of Shrinking Civic Spaces, in: Poppe, Annika Elena/Richter, Solveig/Wolff, Jonas (für das EDP Netzwerk) (eds), PRIF Report, 13. - Democracy Promotion under the Current US Administration
| 2018
Poppe, Annika Elena (2018): Democracy Promotion under the Current US Administration, in: Poppe, Annika Elena/Richter, Solveig/Wolff, Jonas (für das EDP Netzwerk) (eds), PRIF Report, 13. - Democracy Promotion in the Americas
| 2018
Wolff, Jonas (2018): Democracy Promotion in the Americas, in: Poppe, Annika Elena/Richter, Solveig/Wolff, Jonas (für das EDP Netzwerk) (eds), PRIF Report, 13. - Shrinking Spaces. Eine Herausforderung der internationalen Demokratie- und Zivilgesellschaftsförderung
| 2018
Baldus, Jana; Poppe, Annika Elena; Wolff, Jonas (2018): Shrinking Spaces. Eine Herausforderung der internationalen Demokratie- und Zivilgesellschaftsförderung, Afrika Süd, 47: 5.
Publication - Wir müssen Shrinking Spaces besser verstehen, um dem Phänomen begegnen zu können
| 2018
Poppe, Annika Elena (2018): Wir müssen Shrinking Spaces besser verstehen, um dem Phänomen begegnen zu können, PRIF BLOG.
Publication - Strategic responses to the "Foreign Agent" label
| 2018
Wolff, Jonas (2018): Strategic responses to the "Foreign Agent" label. Instead of letting governments define the terms, CSOs need to take "foreign agent" allegations seriously and address them strategically, OpenGlobalRights.
Publication - La deslegitimación de las organizaciones de la sociedad civil
| 2018
Wolff, Jonas (2018): La deslegitimación de las organizaciones de la sociedad civil. Reflexiones sobre las respuestas estratégicas a la acusación de "Agenta Extranjero", in: Rodríguz-Garavito, César/Gomez, Krizna (eds), Encarar el desarío populista. Un nuevo manual de estrategias para actores de derechos humanos, Bogotá: Dejusticia, 131-140. - Nachhaltiger Frieden: Liberal-demokratische Friedenskonzepte unter Druck
| 2018
Bethke, Felix S.; Debiel, Tobias; Hartmann, Christof; Poppe, Annika Elena; Schablitzki, Jan; Wolff, Jonas (2018): Nachhaltiger Frieden: Liberal-demokratische Friedenskonzepte unter Druck, 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 2018, Berlin: LIT Verlag, 65-83.
Publication - The Delegitimization of Civil society Organizations
| 2018
Wolff, Jonas (2018): The Delegitimization of Civil society Organizations. Thoughts on Strategic Sesponses to the “Foreign Agent” Charge, in: Rodríguz-Garavito, César/Gomez, Krizna (eds), Rising to the Populist Challenge. A New Playbook for Human Rights Actors, Bogotá: Dejusticia, 129–137.
Publication - An Overview of Global Initiatives on Countering Closing Space for Civil Society
| 2017
Baldus, Jana; Poppe, Annika Elena; Wolff, Jonas (2017): An Overview of Global Initiatives on Countering Closing Space for Civil Society, Washington, D.C.: CSIS Human Rights Initiative.
Publication - Widerstand gegen internationale Zivilgesellschaftsförderung: mehr als nur „eine illegitime Ausrede“
| 2017
Poppe, Annika Elena; Wolff, Jonas (2017): Widerstand gegen internationale Zivilgesellschaftsförderung: mehr als nur „eine illegitime Ausrede“, BBE-Newsletter für Engagement und Partizipation in Europa (Nr. 7).
Publication - The Contested Spaces of Civil Society in a Plural World
| 2017
Poppe, Annika Elena; Wolff, Jonas (2017): The Contested Spaces of Civil Society in a Plural World. Norm Contestation in the Debate about Restrictions on International Civil Society Support, Contemporary Politics (open access), 23: 4. DOI: 10.1080/13569775.2017.1343219 - Negotiating Democracy Promotion – Negotiating Interference
| 2017
Wolff, Jonas (2017): Negotiating Democracy Promotion – Negotiating Interference. The case of US-Bolivian relations, Research Network External Democracy Promotion (EDP).
Publication - Widerstand gegen internationale Zivilgesellschaftsförderung
| 2016
Poppe, Annika Elena; Wolff, Jonas (2016): Widerstand gegen internationale Zivilgesellschaftsförderung. Mehr als nur „eine illegitime Ausrede“, openDemocracy.
Publication - Strategic Responses To Autocratization In International Democracy Promotion
| 2025
Leininger, Julia; Mross, Karina; Wolff, Jonas (2025): Strategic Responses To Autocratization In International Democracy Promotion, Democratization, 1–23. DOI: 10.1080/13510347.2025.2465876
Publication
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