SubsidieMeestersIlliberal Administrative Behaviour: exploring the implementation of illiberal policies and strategies for prevention
This project investigates illiberal administrative behavior among civil servants across 10 countries, aiming to define, measure, and mitigate its impact on liberal democracy.
Projectdetails
Introduction
Democracy is at risk, also from the inside. Today, some civil servants are mandated to implement illiberal policies, defined as those including anti-plural (discouraging dissent and promoting homogeneity) or anti-institutional values (rejecting separation or supervision of power). Civil servants who oppose these policies face severe criticism and replacement. Conversely, others may behave illiberally and comply with the implementation request.
Since public bureaucracy is essential for effective governance, the question of whether civil servants will implement illiberal policies, thereby displaying illiberal administrative behaviour, arises. Yet, it is surprising how little we know about this behaviour, why it occurs, and how it can be prevented.
Project Objectives
To investigate these questions, this project:
- Defines and elaborates a conceptual map of illiberal administrative behaviour, and empirically examines civil servants’ positions on it.
- Identifies the determinants of illiberal administrative behaviour.
- Examines how civil servants can align with liberal democratic values to reduce their likelihood of implementing illiberal policies.
The empirical analysis focuses on 10 countries from 5 administrative traditions and implements an integrative multi-method approach combining panel surveys with different measurement strategies and experiments.
Contributions
The project breaks new ground in the study of illiberalism in public administration and offers fresh insights on the current crisis of liberal democracy.
Theoretical Contributions
Theoretically, it conceptualizes illiberal administrative behaviour, elucidating the conceptual underpinnings of this phenomenon.
Empirical Contributions
Empirically, it develops measurement tools for assessing illiberal administrative behaviour among civil servants, examines its primary determinants, and explores innovative mechanisms to counteract these processes.
These contributions are developed by adopting an innovative interdisciplinary strategy.
Financiële details & Tijdlijn
Financiële details
| Subsidiebedrag | € 1.500.000 |
| Totale projectbegroting | € 1.500.000 |
Tijdlijn
| Startdatum | 1-10-2025 |
| Einddatum | 30-9-2030 |
| Subsidiejaar | 2025 |
Partners & Locaties
Projectpartners
- UNIVERSIDAD PUBLICA DE NAVARRApenvoerder
Land(en)
Vergelijkbare projecten binnen European Research Council
| Project | Regeling | Bedrag | Jaar | Actie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Deception in Democracy: Political Lying Accusations and Their Effects on Democratic CitizenshipThis project analyzes political lying accusations across 20 European countries to understand their historical trends, citizen perceptions, and impacts on trust and engagement in democracy. | ERC Starting... | € 1.500.000 | 2025 | Details |
Affective Polarization and Democratic AttitudesDEPOLARIZE aims to identify interventions to reduce affective polarization and establish its causal link to democratic backsliding through experimental data from Hungary, Poland, Turkey, and the US. | ERC Starting... | € 1.499.740 | 2023 | Details |
A social-bureaucratic history of the League of Nations SecretariatINNER_LEAGUE explores the social-bureaucratic history of the League of Nations Secretariat to reveal how its internal dynamics shaped modern multilateralism and international public administration. | ERC Consolid... | € 2.000.000 | 2025 | Details |
Democracy, Autocracy, and International CooperationThis project aims to systematically analyze the complex relationship between regime type and international cooperation, employing a multi-method approach to generate new insights and policy relevance. | ERC Advanced... | € 2.499.939 | 2024 | Details |
Reconciling Citizens with the Tradeoffs of Democracy: Attitudes Toward Democracy Under Rising PoliticizationThis project investigates citizens' and parties' preferences on democratic tradeoffs in 15 European countries to understand their impact on support for democracy and develop new measurement tools. | ERC Starting... | € 1.499.967 | 2022 | Details |
Deception in Democracy: Political Lying Accusations and Their Effects on Democratic Citizenship
This project analyzes political lying accusations across 20 European countries to understand their historical trends, citizen perceptions, and impacts on trust and engagement in democracy.
Affective Polarization and Democratic Attitudes
DEPOLARIZE aims to identify interventions to reduce affective polarization and establish its causal link to democratic backsliding through experimental data from Hungary, Poland, Turkey, and the US.
A social-bureaucratic history of the League of Nations Secretariat
INNER_LEAGUE explores the social-bureaucratic history of the League of Nations Secretariat to reveal how its internal dynamics shaped modern multilateralism and international public administration.
Democracy, Autocracy, and International Cooperation
This project aims to systematically analyze the complex relationship between regime type and international cooperation, employing a multi-method approach to generate new insights and policy relevance.
Reconciling Citizens with the Tradeoffs of Democracy: Attitudes Toward Democracy Under Rising Politicization
This project investigates citizens' and parties' preferences on democratic tradeoffs in 15 European countries to understand their impact on support for democracy and develop new measurement tools.