REDEMOS

REDEMOS represents a unique, parallel investigation of the legacy and potential of democratization processes in the EU’s eastern neighbourhood. Analyzing both EU actions and eastern neighbours' responses, balancing the impact of funding, reforms and civil society support against a decade of static and regressive outcomes, REDEMOS is grounded upon an appraisal of domestic and geopolitical challenges facing neighbourhood democratization, and progressive practices needed for both sides to re-engage. With its highly original, 4-phase demos cycle, REDEMOS breaks new ground in demonstrating how revived approaches to understanding norms and values, and reinforced implementation of procedures and practices can fully transform both attitudes and outcomes from passive democracy promotion to active democracy collaboration. Hence, REDEMOS bridges numerous divides emerging between 2010-2022 and focuses on the overarching need to reconstitute a workable ‘demos’ within Eastern partners in light of sizeable political changes including outright opposition to democratization practices from within and beyond the neighbourhood. REDEMOS’ vision shifts attitudes beyond an exclusionary focus on values, norms and procedures, to inclusive democratic practices through citizen empowerment. Featuring a work package female-led structure, REDEMOS presents a series of pioneering milestones and deliverables, based on an equitable balance of 11 high-quality East and West European partners. Its geographical composition is representative of the eastern neighbourhood, with each partner focused on providing advanced tools by which the EU and its eastern neighbours can reset democracy in state and non-state environments. Balancing state reform, civil society, marginalized and local perspectives, and its impactful dissemination modes, REDEMOS effectively co-creates new links within and between academic, policy and civil society domains to boost democratization in Europe’s eastern neighbourhood.