Imposed Democracy?

In volume 6 of PRIF’s study series Sonja Grimm examines the role of external actors in the building up of democratic institutions after a civil war and military intervention

Sonja Grimm has published her study „Erzwungene Demokratie. Politische Neuordnung nach militärischer Intervention unter externer Aufsicht“ (Imposed Democracy: Political Realignment after Military Interventions under External Supervision) as volume 6 of PRIF’s study series at Nomos publishing house. She analyzes systematically the legality, legitimacy and effectiveness of external democratisation and raises the question: Is it possible to impose democracy?

 

In the theoretical part of her Grimm discusses the concepts of military and political intervention and points out the limitations of their legality and legitimacy. Moreover, the author defines important external actors, such as the international community of states. The author analyzes their goals and strategies as well as resulting dilemmas.

 

The second part of the volume is dedicated to a range of comparative empirical case studies, reaching from 1945 until today. Grimm also presents four detailed analysed case studies: the external supervision in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the international transitional government in Kosovo, the multilateral supervision in Afghanistan and die US-occupation in Iraq. As a rounding off, the author looks back on the transformation of Western Germany under the occupation of the Western Allies.

 

The study was also submitted as dissertation at the Humboldt University in 2009. Sonja Grimm is a researcher at the University of Konstanz. Her research focuses on international relations and conflict research, specialised on the effects of democracy promotion in post-war societies.

 

„Erzwungene Demokratie. Politische Neuordnung nach militärischer Intervention unter externer Aufsicht“ has been published as volume No. 6 of PRIF’s study series at Nomos publishing house. It costs 69,00 euros and can be purchased in bookstores or be ordered at Nomos (ISBN 978-3-8329-5028-6 ).