Is the foreign policy of democratic states facilitating the global decline of democratic and human rights standards?

We are pleased to be hosting this free public event with the University of Birmingham and CEDAR. All are welcome.

In the 1990s the foreign policy of many democratic states included an explicit commitment towards democracy promotion. This commitment is far less clear today, and critical analysis questions the extent to which Western “donors” ever truly prioritised democracy over other goals such as trade relations, security alliances and geo-strategic concerns. Recent research has also demonstrated that strategies such as aid withdrawal and suspensions are rarely used and often unsuccessful. It is also clear that there are a number of ways – some intentional, some inadvertent – in which the “everyday engagement” of democratic states actively entrenches authoritarian regimes (Cheeseman and Desrosiers 2023). This is particularly important given that democracy ratings indices agree that the world is experiencing a prolonged democratic recession which has had a profound impact on respect for political rights and civil liberties. This panel asks what the connection is between foreign policy and global democratic decline, what considerations – both domestic and international – shape that foreign policy, and what needs to change for foreign policy to more effectively arrest the global decline of democracy.

Sponsor: CEDAR

Chair: Dr Petra Alderman (University of Birmingham)

Speakers: Professor Nic Cheeseman (University of Birmingham), Dr Toby Greene (Visiting Fellow, London School of Economics), Professor Catherine O’Regan (University of Oxford), Dr Mwita Chacha (University of Birmingham), Professor Toni Haastrup (University of Manchester).

There will be a reception before the lecture begins: 6.15-7pm.

Places are limited so early registration is advisable and necessary.

If you have registered for the BISA conference then please still register for this event.