Regional Dimensions of Authoritarianism – Cooperation, Diffusion and Power Dynamics

Abstract

Recent literature has stressed the increasing importance of international forces in explaining authoritarian politics and survival. Events such as the Color Revolutions in the post-Soviet space or the Arab Spring in the MENA region show that regional dynamics are particularly relevant in this respect, and can significantly influence regime developments in authoritarian regimes. Next to authoritarian diffusion at the regional level, scholars have started to shed light on the dark side of regionalism, focusing on the role regional organizations can play in stabilizing and even strengthening autocratic regimes. This panel aims to deal with regional dimensions of authoritarianism from a comparative perspective focusing on three of the most autocratic regions of the world, namely the Middle East, Eurasia and Sub-Saharan Africa. It addresses the question of how regional diffusion, cooperation and integration impact on authoritarian regimes and their resilience. The focus lies on the adverse effects of regionalism, regional diffusion of authoritarianism, authoritarian learning among the states of the same region and on the role of regional authoritarian powers in affecting domestic dynamics in neighboring states.