Since the third wave of democratization began in 1974, more than 60 countries in Southern Europe, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa have made transitions from authoritarian regimes (of varying duration and repressiveness) to some form of democracy (however tentative and partial). This wave of democratization, the greatest to date in the world system, represents a sea change in international relations and comparative politics. This project attempts to overcome the traditional division between academic disciplines and area studies to understand these rapid global transformations. Sponsored by the Institute for International Studies of Stanford University, its research foci include the following:

• Development of theories about democratization that can apply both within and across different regions.
• Examination of the role of specific actors in the process of democratization, such as armies, police, labor, business, and political parties.
• Examination of the impact of specific policies on democratization, ranging from domestic economic and ethnic strategies to international policies to encourage the spread of democracy
• Analysis of the problems, progress, contradictions, and challenges confronting democratic development in particular countries and regions around the world

Lead Faculty: Terry Karl, Larry Diamond, Donald Emmerson, Michael McFaul, Gail Lapidus

| Syllabi Collection | | Seminar 01-02 | Seminar 00-01 | Seminar 99-00 | Seminar 98-99 | Seminar 97-98 | Seminar 96-97 | Seminar 95-96 | Seminar 94-95 | | 2001 Workshop: Democracy in Africa | | General Resources | Civil-Military Relations | Civil Society | Economic Development | Elections | Human Rights | Inter-ethnic Relations | Rule of Law | | Africa | The Americas | Asia/Pacific | Europe and FSU | Middle East |