<p>Det svenska biståndet inriktat mot demokratisering uppgick 2008 till ca 4 miljarder kr. Det civila samhällets roll i demokratiseringsprocesser har fått ökad uppmärksamhet de senaste 15 åren och är numera ett av de vanligaste fokusområdena inom demokratibistånd. Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka det svenska demokratibiståndet inriktat på det civila samhället och dess effekter och dess möjligheter att påverka demokratiseringsprocesser Genom att undersöka utvärderingar av olika projekt, vars syfte varit att stärka det civila samhället, har biståndets egentliga effekter kunnat redovisas. De länder som undersöks i denna uppsats är Moldavien, Etiopien, Zimbabwe och fyra län-der i Latinamerika; Bolivia, Guatemala, Peru, Nicaragua. De resultat som redovisas i upp-satsen ligger först och främst i attityd- och beteendeförändringar på individnivå hos de som varit inblandade i organisationer, men även bland vanliga medborgare. Människor har blivit mer medvetna om deras politiska och civila rättigheter. I vissa fall har även förändringar skett främst på lokalnivå, där kommunalpolitiker blivit mindre rädda för det civila samhäl-let, och dialoger kunnat föras och där organisationer och vanliga medborgare vågat ställa krav på vissa av deras rättigheter. På detta plan har biståndet alltså kunnat påverka det civila samhället.Vad som dock utgör ett hinder för det civila samhällets möjligheter att påverka på nationell nivå är den bristande respekt som de statliga institutionerna visar. För att det civila samhäl-let ska kunna påverka beslut och öka demokratin i de länder som undersöks behöver en ömsedig respekt utvecklas mellan staten och det civila samhället.</p> / <p>The Swedish aid focused on democratization amounted to approximately 4 billion SEK in 2008. The role of civil society in democratization processes have received increased atten-tion in the last 15 years and is now one of the most common focus areas of democracy as-sistance. The aim of this thesis is to examine the Swedish democracy assistance focused on civil society and its effects and its ability to influence the processes of democratization. By examining evaluations of different projects, which aim was to strengthen civil society, the actual effects have been possible to show.The countries examined in this thesis is Moldova, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and four countries in Latin America, Bolivia, Guatemala, Peru, Nicaragua. The results shown in the thesis is primarily in attitude and behavior change at the individual level among those who have been involved in organizations, but also among ordinary citizens. People have become more aware of their political and civil rights. In some cases, even changes primarily at the local level, where local politicians have become less fearful of civil society, and dialogue, and where organizations and ordinary citizens dared to make demands on some of their rights. On this level, the aid has been able to influence civil society.What, however, is an obstacle to civil society's ability to influence at the national level is the lack of respect which the state institutions show. For civil society to be able to influence decisions and increase democracy in the countries under study there need to be a reciprocal respect developed between the state and civil society.</p>

Det svenska biståndet inriktat mot demokratisering uppgick 2008 till ca 4 miljarder kr. Det civila samhällets roll i demokratiseringsprocesser har fått ökad uppmärksamhet de senaste 15 åren och är numera ett av de vanligaste fokusområdena inom demokratibistånd. Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka det svenska demokratibiståndet inriktat på det civila samhället och dess effekter och dess möjligheter att påverka demokratiseringsprocesser Genom att undersöka utvärderingar av olika projekt, vars syfte varit att stärka det civila samhället, har biståndets egentliga effekter kunnat redovisas. De länder som undersöks i denna uppsats är Moldavien, Etiopien, Zimbabwe och fyra län-der i Latinamerika; Bolivia, Guatemala, Peru, Nicaragua. De resultat som redovisas i upp-satsen ligger först och främst i attityd- och beteendeförändringar på individnivå hos de som varit inblandade i organisationer, men även bland vanliga medborgare. Människor har blivit mer medvetna om deras politiska och civila rättigheter. I vissa fall har även förändringar skett främst på lokalnivå, där kommunalpolitiker blivit mindre rädda för det civila samhäl-let, och dialoger kunnat föras och där organisationer och vanliga medborgare vågat ställa krav på vissa av deras rättigheter. På detta plan har biståndet alltså kunnat påverka det civila samhället.Vad som dock utgör ett hinder för det civila samhällets möjligheter att påverka på nationell nivå är den bristande respekt som de statliga institutionerna visar. För att det civila samhäl-let ska kunna påverka beslut och öka demokratin i de länder som undersöks behöver en ömsedig respekt utvecklas mellan staten och det civila samhället. / The Swedish aid focused on democratization amounted to approximately 4 billion SEK in 2008. The role of civil society in democratization processes have received increased atten-tion in the last 15 years and is now one of the most common focus areas of democracy as-sistance. The aim of this thesis is to examine the Swedish democracy assistance focused on civil society and its effects and its ability to influence the processes of democratization. By examining evaluations of different projects, which aim was to strengthen civil society, the actual effects have been possible to show.The countries examined in this thesis is Moldova, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and four countries in Latin America, Bolivia, Guatemala, Peru, Nicaragua. The results shown in the thesis is primarily in attitude and behavior change at the individual level among those who have been involved in organizations, but also among ordinary citizens. People have become more aware of their political and civil rights. In some cases, even changes primarily at the local level, where local politicians have become less fearful of civil society, and dialogue, and where organizations and ordinary citizens dared to make demands on some of their rights. On this level, the aid has been able to influence civil society.What, however, is an obstacle to civil society's ability to influence at the national level is the lack of respect which the state institutions show. For civil society to be able to influence decisions and increase democracy in the countries under study there need to be a reciprocal respect developed between the state and civil society.

This dissertation contributes to an increased understanding of democracy promotion. Empirically, the study focuses on the multi-faced democratisation process in Macedonia; the official Swedish policy for democracy promotion; and actual Swedish attempts to promote democracy in Macedonia in the period 2000–2006. Theoretically, the study advances an analytical framework, which serves to bring clarity to democracy promotion as a concept. It is argued that democracy promotion embodies six structural components, and should be understood as activities adopted and/or supported by foreign actors, as part of a relationship between the democracy promoter and the recipient country, based on a set of motives and shaped through the use of different strategies, methods and channels. Moreover, the issue of impact is investigated. The analytical framework is used to investigate the character of Swedish democracy promotion, and to develop a typology of the roles of democracy promotion in democratisation processes. It is argued that the Swedish policy for democracy promotion is permeated by a Swedish democratic self-image, eclectic theoretical reflection, and flexibility. In addition, it is argued that Sweden is primarily driven by altruistic and ideological motives, and acts to promote legal and societal democracy, and that the allocation of democracy promotion resources is based on theoretical as well as practical considerations. Macedonia’s democratisation process is analysed, and on the basis of the Swedish attempts to promote democracy in Macedonia, the study advances a typology of the roles of democracy promotion in democratisation processes, these being: educator, initiator, and supporter. Together with the analytical framework, this role typology provides new possibilities to study, and understand, democracy promotion. / Denna avhandling bidrar till ökad förståelse av demokratifrämjande aktiviteter. Empiriskt fokuserar studien på den flerdimensionella demokratiseringsprocessen i Makedonien, den officiella svenska policyn för demokratifrämjande aktiviteter, och de faktiska svenska försöken att främja demokratiutvecklingen i Makedonien under perioden 2000-2006. Teoretiskt bidrar studien med ett analytiskt ramverk, som ämnar ge ökad insikt om demokratifrämjande aktiviteter som begrepp. Det hävdas att dessa aktiviteter är uppbyggda av sex beståndsdelar, och bör förstås som aktiviteter verkställda eller understödda av utländska aktörer, som del av en relation mellan den demokratifrämjande aktören och mottagande land, baserat på en uppsättning motiv och format genom olika strategier, metoder, och kanaler. Betydelsen av effekt inkluderas även i studien. Det analytiska ramverket används för att undersöka den svenska policyn för demokratifrämjande aktiviteter, samt för att utveckla en typologi av de roller som sådana aktiviteter har i demokratiseringsprocesser. Studien visar att den svenska policyn för demokratifrämjande aktiviteter är genomsyrad av en svensk demokratisk självbild, eklektisk teoretisk resonerande, samt pragmatism. Studien visar även att Sverige som demokratifrämjare primärt driva av altruistiska och ideologiska motiv, och strävar efter att främja etableringen av en konstitutionell och samhällelig demokrati, samt att fördelning av demokratifrämjande resurser görs utifrån teoretiska såväl som praktiska överväganden. Makedoniens demokratiseringsprocess analyseras, och med utgångspunkt i de svenska försöken att främja demokratiutvecklingen i Makedonien utvecklas en typologi över de roller som demokratifrämjande aktiviteter kan ha i demokratiseringsprocesser, nämligen: pedagog, initierare, och understödjare. Tillsammans med det analytiska ramverket, skapar denna roll typologi nya möjligheter att studera, och förstå, demokratifrämjande aktiviteter.

<p><strong>Abstract</strong></p><p><em>Bachelor thesis in political science by Alexander Hassan, autumn 2008, “Effects of external factors on a nations democratisation process during the transition from authoritarian to electoral democratic rule – A categorical analysis”</em></p><p><em>Supervisor: Tomas Sedelius</em></p><p>In recent years globalization has become a hot topic in understanding the world we live in today. Globalization has indeed had a great impact on international relations and with it a great influence on the domestic conditions that determine a nation’s possibilities. It is therefore rational to hold true that this also would apply to a nation’s democratic process. This basic notion is what lies as a foundation for the thesis, where the purpose of the study is to examine the relatively new field of the international context and its significance on democratisation.</p><p>The aim of the study is to examine and determine, through a categorical analysis, the different forms and roles that the external factors can take during the process leading up to the transition and implementation of an electoral democracy, the most basic form of democracy.</p><p>The thesis thus has demanded the study and infusion of all discourses within the field of democratisation processes, as the only way to produce the roles and forms of the international contexts impact on the domestic process is through the study and determination of the different domestic spheres associated with the process.</p><p>The different forms of external influences have been studied within the confines of the third wave of democracy, and their roles in the democratic process determined depending on the respective domestic spheres they affect. The significant result of the studies where chiefly that all forms of external influence have the possibility to affect the democratisation process indirectly as well as directly. Where direct influence is exerted within the political sphere of the nation; where the actual transition takes place, and the indirect influence is exerted through the socio-economical and cultural sphere; which exerts its influence in the process through the political sphere. </p><p>The results thus show that it is hard to draw the conclusion that an indirect form of influence would be superior to the direct approach or vice versa, as both are prevalent in successful democratic transitions.</p>

Abstract Bachelor thesis in political science by Alexander Hassan, autumn 2008, “Effects of external factors on a nations democratisation process during the transition from authoritarian to electoral democratic rule – A categorical analysis” Supervisor: Tomas Sedelius In recent years globalization has become a hot topic in understanding the world we live in today. Globalization has indeed had a great impact on international relations and with it a great influence on the domestic conditions that determine a nation’s possibilities. It is therefore rational to hold true that this also would apply to a nation’s democratic process. This basic notion is what lies as a foundation for the thesis, where the purpose of the study is to examine the relatively new field of the international context and its significance on democratisation. The aim of the study is to examine and determine, through a categorical analysis, the different forms and roles that the external factors can take during the process leading up to the transition and implementation of an electoral democracy, the most basic form of democracy. The thesis thus has demanded the study and infusion of all discourses within the field of democratisation processes, as the only way to produce the roles and forms of the international contexts impact on the domestic process is through the study and determination of the different domestic spheres associated with the process. The different forms of external influences have been studied within the confines of the third wave of democracy, and their roles in the democratic process determined depending on the respective domestic spheres they affect. The significant result of the studies where chiefly that all forms of external influence have the possibility to affect the democratisation process indirectly as well as directly. Where direct influence is exerted within the political sphere of the nation; where the actual transition takes place, and the indirect influence is exerted through the socio-economical and cultural sphere; which exerts its influence in the process through the political sphere.  The results thus show that it is hard to draw the conclusion that an indirect form of influence would be superior to the direct approach or vice versa, as both are prevalent in successful democratic transitions.