New research project monitors democratization of international institutions
A research project launched by the Centre for Studies on Federalism based near Turin in Italy will continuously monitor the development of democracy in international governmental organizations. The scientific committee and the researchers’ team of International Democracy Watch (IDW) headed by Professor Lucio Levi is composed by a world-wide network of 40 University professors and scholars in international democracy, international organizations and regional integration.
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| Image: IDW |
As the project reported, the need to create an International Democracy Watch is linked to “the progressive reduction of the role and the influence of nation-states in the process of governing the economic and social globalization and the ensuing birth of a process of creating intergovernmental and supranational organisations both at the regional and the world level.” In addition, the project will cover the creation and the growth of transnational civil society movements, whose principal aim is to foster global democracy, that is the check of the globalization process through the democratization of international institutions.
It was pointed out that while a lot of projects and institutes exist that check and monitor the growth of democracy at the national level, no similar research is carried out with a focus on international relations and on international democracy.
Said Nicola Vallinoto, one of the project’s coordinators: “The aim of IDW will be to check the state of the art and the development of democracy in international institutions, both at regional and at world level, and to assess the progress or regression of international democracy through a regular monitoring, whose daily results will be available on the project website and through the publication of a biennial report.”
The project’s website includes sections dedicated to the monitored organizations and to the campaigns for the strengthening and the democratization of international institutions. According to Mr. Vallinoto, “one of the subjects that will be observed and analyzed are the efforts to create a body of democratically elected representatives, that is a global parliament.”
The biennial report will dedicate a chapter to every monitored international organization and a special section will present the main campaigns for the democratization of international governmental organizations. In addition, through the International Democracy Index every international organization will be rated and ranked. The first report is expected to be ready in Winter 2010-2011 and will be an instant view of the world situation as per June 30, 2010.
Project Website:
http://www.internationaldemocracywatch.org/
Top image: Tobias Keckel, iStockphoto