Key Aims and Expertise
Key aims
REPRESENT aims to bring together, and drive, innovative research in three areas that are, at present, disconnected: research on the falling social penetration of established political parties, research on the rise of populism, and research on the effectiveness of foreign aid given to support democracy. It does so on an interdisciplinary basis, connecting development studies, political science and area studies, and by bringing together leading experts on the politics of different regions (including Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia).
Expertise
REPRESENT provides a ‘hub’ for knowledge exchange between academic researchers, policy-makers and practitioners. It aims to increase the accessibility of academic expertise on democratisation to policy-makers and practitioners, to support researchers seeking to produce policy-relevant research on political parties and democratisation, and to act as an ‘incubator’ for new collaborations between these groups.