Master in Development Evaluation and Management

Democracy Promotion 2.0

Donor side analysis of post-2005 democracy promotion institutions

Mateo Porciúncula

Supervisor: Dr. Nadia Molenaers

September 2015

Outline

1. Relevance2. Research questions3. Methods4. Findings of theoretical part5. The cases of UNDEF and EED6. Findings of empirical part7. Recommendations

Outline

Renewed interest in democracy promotion (Carothers, 2015), but…

…Age of diminishing expectations (Santiso 2001)

• Tarnish of democratization• Closing space for civil society• High ground lost

Revisionism in democracy promotion (Youngs, 2011, etc.)

1. Relevance

What are the characteristics of second generation democracy promotion institutions?

To what extent new institutions represent a shift in approach of democracy promotion by the international community? The cases of UNDEF and EED

Why are these new institutions created in their current form?

2. Research questionsDonor institutions need to adapt: a “Second Generation”?

3. Methods

Theoretical Analysis

Literature Review

Empirical Analysis

BackgroundDescriptive

analysis with framework

Political analysis

Concept of democracy

Understanding of democratization• Timing• Drivers of change

Methods• Approach• Main recipients• Relation to host

government

Framework of analysis

4. Findings of theoretical part

• Broad and more complexConcept of democracy

• Post-institutional, agent driven, non-linearUnderstanding of the democratization process

Appr

oach • From elections to

other dimensions• Aid effectiveness contributions Re

cipie

nts • Bottom up and

top down• Expanded range of organizations

Rela

tions

hip

with

t go

vern

men

ts • Coherence• Address challenges

5. Cases: United Nations Democracy Fund and European Endowment for Democracy

UNDEF Established by the UN Secretary-General as a United Nations General Trust Fund

2005

EED Fashioned after the US National Endowment for Democracy, it is constituted as a private non-for profit institution

2011

/201

3

6. Findings of descriptive analysis

Convergence:

• Broad, more complex conception of

democracy

• Post-institutional, agency oriented theory

• Demand side support

• Complementing older institutions

• Broader range of recipients

• long term perspective still needs work

Divergence:

• Different mechanisms of engagement.

• EED: engages irregular and

unregistered recipients

• UNDEF: high level political tools

governments buy-in

The analysis framework yields resultsBoth UNDEF and EED can be considered “Second generation”

7. Findings of political analysis

Translation of ideas from theory to practice was not automatic

Ideology was not main determinant, ability to mobilize resources was

Institution form resulted from interaction of donor motivations, understanding, circumstance and norms

Role of “champions “ was paramount

Easier to build than to reform

Political path favours some features, hinders other

8. Recommendations

For theoretical debate:• Democracy as a

world development issue

For practice:• Enhance demand

side support with diffusion and broader range

• Identify and recruit champions

For further work• Understand

political drive of donors better to overcome shortcomings (e.g. timeframes 

• Further study recipient side and interaction

Thank you!