In a world where democracy faces both subtle and overt challenges, understanding the dynamics of democratic erosion is more crucial than ever. This workshop, co-hosted by the GIGA project „Democratic Institutions in the Global South” (DEMINGS) and GIGA’s Research Programme „Accountability and Participation”, focused on the threats and opportunities that lie at the intersection of democratic resilience and decline. While exploring conceptual, theoretical, and empirical issues, the workshop aimed to adress at least three critical questions: What conceptual tools can best capture the current state of global democracy? What drives the gradual weakening of democratic institutions and values? And how do we distinguish between temporary setbacks and systemic declines?

Participants in this workshop engaged with cutting-edge research that not only defines democratic backsliding, erosion or decline but also examines its causes, including economic, social, political and international factors. We pay particular attention to erosion and breakdown dynamics occurring in the GIGA regions – Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East – as well as Europe and to the literatures that these regions have produced to account for them, thus offering a global perspective on the issue. Additionally, the workshop seeked to contribute to conceptual clarity in this growing field. Therefore, we encourage participants to rethink and refine existing definitions as well as analytical frameworks for improving our understanding and combating democratic erosion.