Democratization: Consolidation and Contestation

Chair:
Prof. Dirk Berg-Schlosser

Co-Chair:

Prof. Hans-Jürgen Puhle

Discussants:

Dr. CHUKU UMEZURIKE

As a result of political transition from authoritarianism to democracy, there are greater public contestation and participation in the political process. While many scholars take it for granted that the electoral contestation is the central feature of democratization and the multi-party competition contributes to democratic consolidation, some other studies have indicated that the greater public contestation between different political parties, ethnic and religious groups, and areas with different level of economic development might lead to greater instability and disorder, sometimes, even the weakening democracies and failed democracies.
This panel focuses on Asia-Pacific area and will try to explore the following questions. First, what are the trends of public contestation in Asia-Pacific countries and areas? Second, how many modes of public contestation exist in the new democracies? Third, how does the mode of public contestation influence the process of democratic consolidation? Finally, how should the level of public contestation be managed in order to consolidate the new democracies?
We will bring together the leading political scientists from Korea, Japan, Russia, India, Indonesia and China to present their latest reseaches and try to encourage more discussions about the complicated dynamics and process of democratic consolidation.

Papers: