Democratic Consolidation in Malawi

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Project synopsis

The research project will analyse the challenges to democratic consolidation in Malawi. It is divided into three interrelated research components, constitutionalism, decentralisation and access to justice for the poor at the local level, and the role of non state actors in democracy consolidation. The research project compliments and builds on the previous NUFU-funded project on the institutional contex of the 2004 general elections in Malawi. The new study will seek to identify the key factors for democracy consolidation and identify the roles of various institutions, both government at central and local level and civil society, in the democracy consolidation process.
In order to ensure interlinkages between the three designated areas of research (constitutionalism, decentralisation and non state actors) three thematic cross cutting issues have been identified that will form the core focus of research: Representation and accountability, the 2009 general elections and the role of gender in Malawian politics. The three cross-cutting thematic areas will be analysed from the perspective of constitutionalism, decentralisation and non state actors.

Expected Results

The research project will analyse the challenges to democratic consolidation in Malawi. It is divided into three interrelated research components, constitutionalism, decentralisation and access to justice for the poor at the local level, and the role of non state actors in democracy consolidation. The research project compliments and builds on the previous NUFU-funded project on the institutional context of the 2004 general elections in Malawi. The new study will seek to identify the key formal and informal institutional factors that either support or hinder democracy consolidation through empirical analyses of government institutions at central and local level and civil society.

In order to ensure interlinkages between the three designated areas of research (constitutionalism, decentralisation and non state actors) three thematic cross cutting issues have been identified that will form the core focus of research: Representation and accountability, The 2009 general elections, and The role of gender in Malawian politics. The three cross-cutting thematic areas will be analysed from the perspective of constitutionalism, decentralisation and non state actors.