This book deals with post-Cold War processes of autocratization, that is, regime change towards autocracy. While these processes are growing in number and frequency, autocratization remains a relatively understudied phenomenon, especially its most recent manifestations. In this volume, the authors offer one of the first cross-regional comparative analyses of the recent processes of regime change towards autocracy. Building on an original conceptual framework, the two authors engage in the empirical investigation of the spreading of this political syndrome, of the main forms that it takes, and of the modes through which it unfolds in countries ruled by different political regimes, with different histories and belonging to different regional contexts. The research is conducted through a mix of research techniques that include descriptive statistical analysis, Qualitative Comparative Analysis and case study. This book will be of interest to a heterogeneous readership that encompasses thebroader community of scholars, analysts, observers, journalists, and practitioners interested in political development and regime change in different geographical areas. Andrea Cassani is Research Fellow at the Department of Social and Political Sciences of the Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy. His work has been published in journals such as International Political Science Review, Italian Political Science Review, Africa Spectrum, European Journal of Political Research, Contemporary Politics, and European Political Science. Luca Tomini is Chercheur Qualifié FNRS (Research Associate Professor) at the Centre d'Etude de la Vie Politique of the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Belgium. His work has been published in journals such as European Journal of Political Research, Europe-Asia Studies, Comparative European Politics, Journal of Contemporary Central and Eastern Europe. He is the author of the book When Democracies Collapse (2017).

Autorentext

Andrea Cassani is Research Fellow at the Department of Social and Political Sciences of the Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy. His work has been published in journals such as International Political Science Review, Italian Political Science Review, Africa Spectrum, European Journal of Political Research, Contemporary Politics, and European Political Science.

Luca Tomini is Chercheur Qualifié FNRS (Research Associate Professor) at the Centre d'Etude de la Vie Politique of the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Belgium. His work has been published in journals such as European Journal of Political Research, Europe-Asia Studies, Comparative European Politics, Journal of Contemporary Central and Eastern Europe. He is the author of the book When Democracies Collapse (2017).

Inhalt

Chapter 1 Introduction: from democratization to autocratization

1.1Introduction

1.2 The world of autocratization studies

1.3Defining autocratization, mapping the phenomenon, studying the modes

1.4Plan of the book

Chapter 2 What autocratization is

2.1Introduction

2.2 Conceptual disagreement in the debate on regime change opposite to democratization

2.3 Autocratization as an analytical approach

2.4 Autocratization and its different forms

2.5 A typology of autocratization

2.6What autocratization is not (and a few controversial cases)

2.7Concluding remarks

Chapter 3 Trends of post-Cold War autocratization

3.1Introduction

3.2Measuring autocratization

3.3Trends of autocratization, 1990-2015 

3.4Concluding remarks

Chapter 4 Modes of post-Cold War autocratization

4.1Introduction

4.2What we know about how autocratization happens

4.3A new classification of autocratization modes

4.4Modes of autocratization, 1990-2015

4.5Matching modes and forms autocratization: A Qualitative Comparative Analysis

4.6Concluding remarks

Chapter 5 Cases of post-Cold War autocratization

5.1Introduction

5.2Ecuador, 2006: from liberal democracy to defective democracy

5.3Moldova, 2001: from defective democracy to electoral autocracy

5.4Thailand, 2006 and 2014: from defective democracy to closed autocracy

5.5Rwanda, 2015: from electoral autocracy to closed autocracy

5.6Concluding remarks

Chapter 6 Conclusion: patterns of post-Cold War autocratization

6.1Introduction

6.2A framework for comparative autocratization

6.3Patterns of post-Cold War autocratization

6.4Avenues for future research