REDEMOS – Reconfiguring EU Democracy Support Towards Sustained Demos in the EU’s Eastern Neighborhood
is the EU Horizon Project (HORIZON-CL2-2021-DEMOCRACY-01) funded by the European Commission
GFSIS is a partner in an international consortium led by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. GFSIS co-leads two work packages in the project: WP-4, “Democracy Building in the Eastern Neighborhood,” and WP-6, “Third Country Actors Competition in the Eastern Neighborhood.” The project aims to conduct research and quality deliverables – work papers, policy papers, conferences, workshops in the mentioned areas.
REDEMOS represents a unique, parallel investigation of the legacy and potential of democratization processes in the EU’s eastern neighborhood. Analyzing both EU actions and eastern neighbours’ responses, balancing the impact of funding, reforms and civil society support against a decade of static and regressive outcomes, REDEMOS is grounded upon an appraisal of domestic and geopolitical challenges facing neighbourhood democratization, and progressive practices needed for both sides to re-engage. Hence, REDEMOS bridges numerous divides emerging between 2010-2022 and focuses on the overarching need to reconstitute a workable ‘demos’ within Eastern partners in light of sizeable political changes including outright opposition to democratization practices from within and beyond the neighbourhood. REDEMOS’ vision shifts attitudes beyond an exclusionary focus on values, norms and procedures, to inclusive democratic practices through citizen empowerment. Featuring a work package female-led structure, REDEMOS presents a series of pioneering milestones and deliverables, based on an equitable balance of 11 high-quality East and West European partners. Its geographical composition is representative of the eastern neighbourhood, with each partner focused on providing advanced tools by which the EU and its eastern neighbours can reset democracy in state and non-state environments.