Despite acknowledging the need for nurturing democracy from within, democracy assistance programmes have often been carried out in a top-down fashion. By starting from the limits of democracy assistance, this article outlines the notion of micro-assistance to democracy, which can be defined as...

In recent years, the relationship between the European Union and Africa has undergone significant changes at the political and the economic levels. Trade reforms have taken place, and peacekeeping cooperation and political dialogue have increased. The African continent has become a test bed to...

Aiding democracy has often been a top-down process. Not only has democracy assistance been overwhelmingly characterised by macro policies, but also when bottom-up policies have been attempted they have often addressed professionalised NGOs, with scarce grassroots membership and contact. Only...

Since the fall of the investment bank Lehman Brothers, the economic downturn has taken a heavy toll on many countries. In the public and academic discourse on necessary remedies and reforms, the spotlight is on the role of political elites and business. The actual and potential role of civil...

Foreign actors have always influenced political changes in developing countries. During the Cold War, for instance, Western governments extensively promoted their political and economic interests in areas as various as Latina America, Africa and Asia, often by opposing democratically elected...

Despite acknowledging the need for nurturing democracy from within, democracy assistance programmes have often been carried out in a top-down fashion. By starting from the limits of democracy assistance, this article outlines the notion of micro-assistance to democracy, which can be defined as...