Institutions Versus Networks of Power: How ‘By The Book’ Politics Works - And When it Doesn’t - Under Autocracy

Name: Institutions Versus Networks of Power: How ‘By The Book’ Politics Works - And When it Doesn’t - Under Autocracy
Start: 2020-05-06T12:00:00-0400
End: 2020-05-06T13:30:00-0400

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A seminar with Erin York, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Middle East Initiative and PhD in Political Science from Columbia University.

Moderated by MEI Faculty Chair, Professor Tarek Masoud.

This seminar will be conducted via Zoom Webinar. Please register in advance:

https://harvard.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYudOitqzwtH9M0xVAVq3zBZVNVfM5gfY4M

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

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Date: Wed, May 6, 2020 Time: 12:00pm - 01:30pm Location: Online

An activist wearing a skull mask and the flag of Morocco with a sign, saying the 'February 20th pro-democracy movement does not fear cowards and the corrupt' and is supported by the citizens, leads a demonstration in the capital Rabat Sunday, Feb. 19, 2019

Erin York explores competing conceptions of politics under autocracy, examining the existence of both faux-democratic institutions as well as historical networks of patronage in the Moroccan context. She provides systematic evidence that institutional systems of horizontal accountability help to level the playing field, creating opportunities for political outsiders to compete for support through by the book activity. But there are limits to this mechanism of political action: the regime’s control of the executive and, in particular, the presence of technocrat appointees weaken its effectiveness.

Institutions Versus Networks of Power: How ‘By The Book’ Politics Works - And When it Doesn’t - Under Autocracy

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