Skip to main content

Dissertation awarded

The dissertation by ABI employee Felix Haaß was awarded the PhD prize of the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Greifswald and the 3rd prize in the category "Young Researcher Prize" of KfW/Verein für Socialpolitik.

How does development aid shape democracy after civil conflicts? On the basis of detailed statistical analysis, Felix Haass’ Dissertation shows that two factors are crucial to answer this question: on the one hand, external democracy conditions attached to aid projects. On the other hand, the interests of former rebels in power-sharing governments to profit not only politically from any post-conflict deal, but also economically. When both of these factors occur together, it is more likely that “hybrid” post-conflict democracies develop: political systems in which relatively clean elections live alongside a weak rule of law and political patronage. These results help us better understand the political consequences of post-conflict development aid and advance the theoretical debate on the origins of democratic political systems.

The award ceremony was held in Greifswald on 1 June 2018, followed on 29 June 2018 by the KfW/Verein für Socialpolitik award ceremony in Zurich for "excellence in policy relevant research on developing countries".

Related Links:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/world-development/vol/99

https://www.arnold-bergstraesser.de/sites/default/files/abi-newsletter_1-2018.pdf

https://www.giga-hamburg.de/de/publikation/demokratie-laesst-sich-nicht-kaufen-friedenskonsolidierung-in-afrika

https://www.arnold-bergstraesser.de/en/mitarbeiterinnen/haass-felix

https://www.giga-hamburg.de/de/team/haa%C3%9F