SHAPEDEM-EU

SHAPEDEM-EU aims to rethink, reshape, and review the 🇪🇺’s policies with an entirely novel approach to the practice of democracy support. Explore the project's core objectives, work phases, envisioned impact and the challenges it addresses👇 shapedem-eu.eu/publications

How does Russia project autocratic influence beyond its borders? Murad Nasibov (Justus Liebig University Giessen) analyses the behavioural and discursive tools Moscow uses to weaken democratisation and sustain authoritarian power. Read more 👉 shapedem-eu.eu/publications

How has China shaped political change in the 🇪🇺’s Southern & Eastern Neighbourhoods? @inesaescriche (@CidobBarcelona) argues that 🇨🇳 adopts a pragmatic approach to political developments, prioritising stability & continuity over ideological alignment. 👉 shapedem-eu.eu/publications

Can the EU rethink how it supports democracy in its Eastern neighbourhood? Our partners Elena Korosteleva & Anastasiia Kudlenko (@uniofwarwick ) explore new ideas for more effective democratic engagement. Read more 👉 shapedem-eu.eu/publications

My @SHAPEDEM_EU paper “EU Democracy Support and Civil Society in #Georgia” The paper critically examines the European Union's (EU) democracy support practices in Georgia, focusing on the role of civil society within the country's European integration process./1

How do European actors contest and reinterpret the European Union’s democracy support in Georgia, Armenia and Ukraine? In this analysis within the @SHAPEDEM_EU project, @NonaMikhelidze, @AgGawrich, Fabian Schöppner, Anna Osypchuk and @AntonSuslovUA find that contestation within the EU shapes democracy support in uneven ways: discourse often signals learning and adjustment, yet practice remains constrained by geopolitical calculations and entrenched approaches. Check it out here➡️ loom.ly/ks7VWKI

📢 | A new episode of our podcast is live! Fabian Schöppner, @Ekaterine_s and Claudia Saba explore the EU’s support for gender equality & its intersection with democracy in Georgia and Palestine. Listen here 👉 lnkd.in/eAPawTXP

Just published: European Contestations of EU Democracy Support in Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine, by Nona Mikhelidze et al. @SHAPEDEM_EU Publications,2025. Co-authors: Andrea Gawrich,Fabian Schöppner, Anna Osypchuk, Anton Suslov. @IAIonline The paper examines how European actors/1

📢 | How do third countries & international organisations shape EU democracy support? In the latest episode of our Democracy Support Dialogues podcast, @MoussaBk from @CidobBarcelona unpacks their impact on the EU's policies. Listen here 👉 shapedem-eu.eu/outreach

What is the nexus between climate change and gender equality? Khouloud Baghouri, SHAPEDEM-EU Gender Equality Fellow from 🇹🇳, advocates for an integrated approach to tackle these intertwined challenges in North Africa. Read more 👉 shapedem-eu.eu/publications

During her time as a SHAPEDEM-EU Gender Equality Fellow, Claudia Saba analysed 🇪🇺 democracy support for Palestine through a gender lens. She assessed how this was provided before 7 Oct 2023, and how the events since have affected the EU’s approach. 👉 shapedem-eu.eu/publications

🆕 | Refugee women face unique challenges that demand inclusive, rights-based solutions. SHAPEDEM-EU Gender Equality Fellow Amira Elmasry examines how the EU supports gender equality & democracy for refugee women in Lebanon. Read more 👉 shapedem-eu.eu/publications

What is Ukraine’s gender equality legal framework and societal context? As SHAPEDEM-EU's Gender Equality Fellow from 🇺🇦, @liliia_antoniuk analyses the 🇪🇺's role in promoting and protecting gender equality in the country. Read the full report 👉shapedem-eu.eu/publications

During her time as a SHAPEDEM-EU Gender Equality Fellow @Ekaterine_s explored Georgia's journey in pursuing gender equality. In her analysis, Skhiladze also assessed how the 🇪🇺 contributes to or intersects with the country's efforts. Find out more 👉 shapedem-eu.eu/publications

📢 | The latest episode of our podcast, Democracy Support Dialogues, is out. Our host Fabian Schöppner provides an overview on the conditions of civil society in the 🇪🇺 neighbourhood and its relevance for EU democracy support policies. Listen here👉shapedem-eu.eu/outreach

As part of the @SHAPEDEM_EU Project, our Institute held a hybrid workshop to discuss three research papers examining #EU policies and practices in #Lebanon, #Tunisia, and #Palestine. The focus was on the connection between local voices in the Arab region and their practices of ‘democracy’, as well as how these relate to EU democracy promotion as a contested international practice. The workshop aimed to generate policy recommendations to be submitted to the EU that reflect local understandings of their democracy support policies and programs, and convey key points to improve these policies. The @SHAPEDEM_EU Project at the Institute is led by @KarimMakdisi, @jobahout, and @JamilMouawad. 🔗 You can read more on the #SHAPEDEMEU Project, outputs, and activities here👇🏽 aub.edu.lb/ifi/Pages/SHAP…

🇦🇲 | EU-funded gender equality initiatives in Armenia face significant challenges. As a SHAPEDEM-EU gender equality fellow, Lilit Hakobyan highlights key gaps in aligning gender equality with democracy support in the country. Read the policy brief 👉shapedem-eu.eu/publications

📄Latest from @SHAPEDEM_EU👇🏽 Read the executive summaries of the country case studies detailing local democratic politics in #Lebanon, #Palestine and #Tunisia, via the links below: ​🔵EU Democracy Support to Lebanon: Towards an Understanding of Local Voices and Contestation 🔗aub.edu.lb/ifi/Documents/…​ 🔵Forestalling Statehood: #EU Financial Support for Democracy Building in Palestine 🔗aub.edu.lb/ifi/Documents/… 🔵Tunisia’s Democratic Transition: the EU’s Engagement and Local Politics 🔗aub.edu.lb/ifi/Documents/… The project is led by @KarimMakdisi, @jobahout, and @JamilMouawad. #ShapeDemEU

How do civil society organisations in France, Italy, Sweden & Poland support democracy in the EU’s Southern & Eastern Neighbourhoods? SHAPEDEM-EU researchers explore the role, priorities & challenges of CSOs in country case studies. Find out more 👉 shapedem-eu.eu/publications

Join us on Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 4:00 PM for our upcoming discussion on "Inequality, Globalization and Democracy" featuring @BrankoMilan and @ishacdiwan, in this IFI, @fas_aub's Department of Economics, and Institute of Financial Economics (IFE) at @AUB_Lebanon event. Register here: bit.ly/43oahNZ

🎥 In case you missed it, watch the 8th episode of #InstituteInsights, as ex Foreign Affairs Minister and IFI Associate Fellow Amb. @HittiNassif answers three questions on the relationship between Lebanese identity and the country's foreign policy, the main pillars of a realistic and independent Lebanese foreign policy, and the adoption of "political neutrality." Watch here: youtube.com/watch?v=piZ3QJ…