Domestic Conflicts in Defective Democracies

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

Contrary to the thesis of so-called "domestic democratic peace," domestic forms of conflict such as civil wars, insurgencies, terrorist attacks and violent protests occur not only in autocratic regimes but also in democracies. "Hybrid regimes" in the gray zone between democracy and autocracy are suspected of being particularly susceptible to violent domestic conflicts, as they combine weaknesses of autocratic and democratic rule without sharing in their advantages. This seminar focuses on the concept of "defective democracy." This is aimed at regimes that are democratic at their core but exhibit functional deficiencies in important aspects of the order of rule. Many democracies in the transformation phase since 1990 are characterized by incomplete consolidation or regression. Defects in democracies have recently increased worldwide and can sometimes also be observed in Western countries. The seminar explores the cause-effect relationships between such defects and the occurrence of intra-state conflicts. Students will become familiar with the central concepts, argumentations and findings of the relevant conflict research and regime research, critically question them and place them in larger political science and political practice contexts.