Hybrid regimes, the rule of law, and external influence on domestic change

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, two sets of phenomena are challenging our understanding of democracy and democratization. First, transition from authoritarian regimes into some form of democracy is no longer understood to constitute the most prevalent or important change in worldwide democratization processes. Second, contemporary processes of domestic political change are unfolding within a radically transformed international environment compared to even two decades ago (Gershman 2005; Whitehead 2004).