Conference

The UN’s Secretary-General António Guterres recently observed that “across the world, democracy is backsliding”. This trend encompasses new democracies that have drifted towards electoral autocracy and established democracies where political polarization threatens institutional norms. Research can shed light on where and when democratic institutions are fragile and what can help make them resilient.

The Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics (SITE) and the Forum for Research on Media and Democracy in Eastern Europe (FROMDEE) is organising a one-day conference on “Democratic backsliding and electoral autocracies” with a keynote lecture by Arturas Rozenas (New York University). The conference will take place on 13 October 2023 in Stockholm, Sweden.

Call for papers

We would like to invite paper and extended abstract submissions, as well as expressions of interest in attending the conference by 15 June 2023 at the link below. We welcome submissions from economics and political science on threats to liberal democratic institutions, as well as other topics in political economy. We would especially like to encourage researchers working on or based in Eastern Europe to apply.

There is no conference registration fee and meals will be provided for all participants. Some funding is available for travel and accommodation, with preference given to presenters and participants from Eastern Europe.

Submission form: Click here

Download the call for paper in pdf-file: "Democratic backsliding and electoral autocracies"

Important dates:

15 June 2023 - Submission deadline (full papers or extended abstracts >10 pages)
July 2023 - Notification of acceptance
13 October 2023 - SITE Academic Conference on “Democratic Backsliding and Electoral Autocracies”

The conference is organised as part of the FROMDEE initiative - the Forum for Research on Media and Democracy in Eastern Europe supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).

In case of technical difficulties, please send your submission to: site.free.conferences@gmail.com

Photo by Sergii Kovalov, Shutterstock.com