KSC Research Series: Reading List on Democratization

The study of democracy as a concept has its roots in both classical and modern political philosophy. Writers such as Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau elucidate the notion that different regime types exist and there is no one form of government that works well universally. The empirical study of democratization began in the twentieth-century with pioneering social scientists testing the important ideas of "democracy" and "political change." Early works establishing democratization as a specialty include an article by Phillips Cutright, "National political development: Its measures and analysis," published in the American Sociological Review. Other famous early works by political scientists include "Some Social Requisites of Democracy; Economic Development and Political Legitimacy" by Seymour Lipset in the American Political Science Review and a book by Samuel Huntington, Political Order in Changing Societies. Almost every major political science department has a specialist or two who focuses on political regime change. Seminar courses on democratization are a pre-requisite for most Ph.D. programs. With the advent of reliable survey data from developing countries, the field of democratization has become increasingly sophisticated. Theories of democratization have been developed and refined, and researchers have begun to examine the complex relationships between economic development, social change, and political institutions. Theories of democratization can be categorized into several approaches, including institutional, structural, cultural, transitions, and civil society/social movements approaches. Institutional approaches focus on the role of political institutions, such as constitutions and electoral systems, in promoting democracy. Structural approaches examine the economic and social structures that underlie democratic systems. Cultural approaches consider the role of values and norms in shaping democratic attitudes and behaviors. Transitions approaches focus on the process of democratization, including the role of elites, civil society, and international factors. Civil society/social movements approaches examine the role of non-state actors, such as interest groups and social movements, in promoting democracy. Researchers have also begun to examine the relationship between democratization and other factors, such as nationalism and national identity, and international political economy. Theories of nationalism and national identity, such as those developed by Benedict Anderson and Ernest Gellner, have been influential in understanding the role of identity in shaping democratic attitudes and behaviors. Theories of international political economy, such as those developed by Robert Bates and Peter Evans, have been influential in understanding the role of economic factors in shaping democratic outcomes. The study of democratization has also been influenced by the work of scholars such as Samuel Huntington, who has written extensively on the topic of democratization and its relationship to economic development and social change. Other influential scholars include Larry Diamond, who has written on the topic of democratization and its relationship to civil society and social movements, and Adam Przeworski, who has written on the topic of democratization and its relationship to economic development and political institutions. Overall, the study of democratization has become a complex and multifaceted field, with scholars drawing on a wide range of theoretical approaches and empirical evidence to understand the complex relationships between economic development, social change, and political institutions.