Vanessa Boese-Schlosser, a distinguished researcher at the WZB Berlin Social Science Center, has recently been honored with the prestigious Starting Grant from the European Research Council (ERC). This accolade, renowned as the most substantial and competitive individual research grant available to early-career scientists across Europe, endows her with €1.5 million over a span of up to five years. The grant will propel her ambitious research agenda centered on the dynamics of regime types and their socioeconomic interactions, a domain with profound implications for global political science and economic development.
At the heart of Boese-Schlosser’s ERC-funded project, titled “Waves of Regime Transformation,” lies a sophisticated analysis of how democratic and autocratic regimes proliferate in discernible wave-like patterns on a global scale since the dawn of the 20th century. This wave theory of regime diffusion challenges simpler linear or isolated explanations of political change by elucidating the clustered and temporally correlated nature of regime shifts. By systematically dissecting these regime waves, the research aspires to pinpoint the complex interplay of international, regional, and domestic drivers shaping political transitions.
Central to the conceptual framework of Boese-Schlosser’s study is the exploration of ‘zeitgeist’—a term borrowed from social philosophy denoting the prevailing ideological and normative climates that influence actors’ perceptions and behaviors. In the context of regime transformations, zeitgeist encapsulates how dominant understandings of democracy evolve over time and shape the receptivity of societies and elites toward democratic governance or its alternatives. This project, therefore, integrates political ontology with empirical regime data to explain how the spirit of each era conditions the success or failure of political reforms.
Beyond ideological trends, Boese-Schlosser rigorously incorporates the impact of sudden political shocks and international imitation into her analytical model. Sudden shocks – such as wars, economic crises, or revolutions – act as catalysts that disrupt the status quo, providing openings for rapid regime change. Concurrently, the phenomena of international imitation emphasize how political entities emulate successful governance models elsewhere, driven by normative desires or pragmatic strategic calculations, thereby contributing to the spatial diffusion of regime types.
This multi-layered approach is not solely theoretical; it is anchored in meticulous empirical work drawing from the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) dataset, one of the most comprehensive and nuanced datasets on democracy metrics worldwide. Boese-Schlosser’s dual affiliation with WZB and the V-Dem Institute at the University of Gothenburg positions her uniquely to leverage this data for robust quantitative analysis, enhancing the scientific rigor and reach of her findings.
Boese-Schlosser’s academic journey has been marked by significant contributions to political sociology and the intersection of economics and democratization. Since joining WZB in late 2021 and advancing to a postdoctoral fellowship in their Research Department for Transformations of Democracy in April 2023, she has unified her expertise in political regime studies with advanced econometric methodologies. Her work contributes to a growing body of research that interrogates not only political outcomes but also their socioeconomic ramifications, particularly how regime types influence economic development trajectories and vice versa.
The recognition from ERC underscores the timeliness and urgency of her research. In an era characterized by global democratic backsliding and rising authoritarian tendencies, understanding the temporal waves and causal mechanisms behind regime shifts is crucial. Boese-Schlosser’s project promises to generate actionable insights that can inform policymakers and civil society actors engaged in promoting democratic resilience in fragile environments.
Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln, President of the WZB, hailed this achievement as a testament to Vanessa Boese-Schlosser’s dedication and innovative research. She emphasized the interdisciplinary nature of Boese-Schlosser’s work, melding economics with political science to break new ground in understanding the reciprocal relationships between political regimes and economic conditions. Fuchs-Schündeln also highlighted the strategic importance of the grant in enabling Boese-Schlosser to establish her research group within the WZB, thereby amplifying the institution’s influence as a hub for democracy research across Europe.
The ERC itself was established by the European Union in 2007 with the explicit goal of fostering frontier research excellence irrespective of disciplines or immediate applications, focusing purely on the merit of scientific inquiry. The Starting Grant is a cornerstone of this mission, designed to empower promising early-career researchers to take the helm of independent research teams in Europe. Through such investments, the ERC aims to bolster Europe’s competitive edge in fundamental scientific innovation and thought leadership.
Boese-Schlosser’s work exemplifies this ethos by transcending disciplinary boundaries and adopting a comprehensive lens on regime transformation. Her focus on identifying underlying drivers and waves of regime diffusion through empirical modeling and political theory adheres to the highest standards of academic excellence and methodological innovation. The resulting insights are poised to enrich global debates on democratization paths and authoritarian resilience amid shifting geopolitical contexts.
The implications of this research are wide-ranging. By elucidating how regime types ebb and flow across different temporal and spatial scales, policymakers can better anticipate the conditions conducive to democratic emergence or decline. This knowledge is particularly vital for international organizations, governments, and advocacy groups seeking to design informed interventions and support mechanisms tailored to the unique features of each political environment.
Moreover, the economic dimension of Boese-Schlosser’s research adds another layer of practical relevance. Exploring the bidirectional influences between political regimes and economic development informs debates on governance reforms, resource allocation, and investment climates, all crucial for sustainable growth. This intersectional perspective enriches the broader field of political economy with data-driven insights into regime dynamics.
As Vanessa Boese-Schlosser embarks on this ambitious research trajectory supported by the ERC Starting Grant, her work promises to be a seminal contribution to understanding the complex, wave-like nature of political regime transformations over the past century. Her efforts will not only advance academic knowledge but also provide tangible guidance to those dedicated to fostering democratic governance in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.
Subject of Research: Dynamics of regime transformation, diffusion of democracy and autocracy, and socioeconomic interactions related to regime types.
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Image Credits: Kathrin Kliss/WZB
Keywords: Vanessa Boese-Schlosser, ERC Starting Grant, regime transformation, democracy diffusion, autocracy, Varieties of Democracy, political waves, political economy, democratization, WZB Berlin Social Science Center, European Research Council
