Sub-National Politics in Authoritarian Regimes

Abstract

The common perception of authoritarianism combines a centralized state with an omnipotent dictator or dominant party. During the past decades, however, we have witnessed a growing heterogeneity of authoritarian regime types. This heterogeneity is not only evident in the cross-national comparison but also sub-nationally. Sub-national entities in authoritarian states vary not only demographically and by their degree of political autonomy. They also map a multifaceted landscape in their degree of authoritarianism or democracy, patterns of regional support for the dominant party and incumbent, competitiveness and electoral domination, concrete policies, et cetera. This panel seeks to highlight these sub-national variations in authoritarian states and their concrete effects on politics.