Major Research Projects

Transnational Influences and Democratic Socialization in Authoritarian Contexts
Ph.D. project completed, extended to post-doctoral project at the EUI Florence

This project explores the transfer of democratic principles and practices of decision-making through transnational linkages between established democracies and authoritarian regimes. It centers on the  potential for democratization within transgovernmental networks that are implementing functional cooperation between EU member states and their authoritarian neighbors to the South. The project provides important insights into the micro-mechanisms underlying processes of norm diffusion and political transition in authoritarian regimes.

Cooperating for Democracy? The  Potential for Democratization within Transgovernmental Networks
'Habilitation' project at ETH Zurich

This project applies the idea of the transfer of democratic governance through transgovernmental networks to the overarching net of international cooperation that link government regulators world wide. It investigates the global spread of democratic governance through networks such as the International Network for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement (INECE) or the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) in five world regions.


Research Awards