Authoritarian drift and democratic resistance: Justicecraft and the dynamics of backsliding in south and southeast Asia

Presentation Type

Abstract

Faculty Advisor

Arnaud Kurze

Access Type

Event

Start Date

25-4-2025 1:30 PM

End Date

25-4-2025 2:30 PM

Description

Introduction: Over the past decade, Bangladesh has experienced severe democratic backsliding, culminating in intensified authoritarianism under the Awami League (AL) since its 2008 electoral victory. This study examines the erosion of democratic institutions, increased political repression, and the consolidation of power. A pivotal moment was the 2011 abolition of the caretaker government system, which enabled the AL to control elections and suppress the opposition—particularly the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)—through disqualifications, mass arrests, and extrajudicial crackdowns. Press freedom has also declined under restrictive digital security laws and surveillance. To contextualize these dynamics, the study compares regional cases of democratic decline in Thailand and the Philippines, analyzing shared authoritarian tactics, elite capture, and polarization. Methods: This research employs a comparative case study approach and qualitative content analysis of legal changes, policy documents, media sources, and protest discourse. It applies the Justicecraft framework (Balasco et al., 2024), using its five dimensions—knowledge, affect, materiality, skill, and labor—to assess how authoritarian regimes entrench control and how opposition forces mobilize resistance. Results: Findings reveal that hybrid authoritarian regimes often maintain a democratic façade while undermining accountability mechanisms. In Bangladesh and across the region, governments use institutional manipulation and rhetoric to justify repression. Yet, resistance persists: student-led protests, legal advocacy, and civil society organizing exemplify how Justicecraft elements are used to reclaim democratic space. This research offers insight into the multidimensional nature of democratic erosion and highlights Justicecraft as a valuable framework for understanding and countering authoritarian consolidation across South and Southeast Asia.

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Poster presentation at the 2025 Student Research Symposium.

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Apr 25th, 1:30 PM Apr 25th, 2:30 PM

Authoritarian drift and democratic resistance: Justicecraft and the dynamics of backsliding in south and southeast Asia

Introduction: Over the past decade, Bangladesh has experienced severe democratic backsliding, culminating in intensified authoritarianism under the Awami League (AL) since its 2008 electoral victory. This study examines the erosion of democratic institutions, increased political repression, and the consolidation of power. A pivotal moment was the 2011 abolition of the caretaker government system, which enabled the AL to control elections and suppress the opposition—particularly the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)—through disqualifications, mass arrests, and extrajudicial crackdowns. Press freedom has also declined under restrictive digital security laws and surveillance. To contextualize these dynamics, the study compares regional cases of democratic decline in Thailand and the Philippines, analyzing shared authoritarian tactics, elite capture, and polarization. Methods: This research employs a comparative case study approach and qualitative content analysis of legal changes, policy documents, media sources, and protest discourse. It applies the Justicecraft framework (Balasco et al., 2024), using its five dimensions—knowledge, affect, materiality, skill, and labor—to assess how authoritarian regimes entrench control and how opposition forces mobilize resistance. Results: Findings reveal that hybrid authoritarian regimes often maintain a democratic façade while undermining accountability mechanisms. In Bangladesh and across the region, governments use institutional manipulation and rhetoric to justify repression. Yet, resistance persists: student-led protests, legal advocacy, and civil society organizing exemplify how Justicecraft elements are used to reclaim democratic space. This research offers insight into the multidimensional nature of democratic erosion and highlights Justicecraft as a valuable framework for understanding and countering authoritarian consolidation across South and Southeast Asia.