Democratization is devoted to the study of the broad phenomenon of democratization – defined as the way democratic norms, institutions and practices evolve and are disseminated or retracted both within and across national and cultural boundaries. In particular, the journal aims to promote a better understanding of distinct phenomena, such as: transition to democracy and democratic installation, democratic consolidation and crisis, and deepening or weakening of democratic qualities. While the journal does not consider authoritarianism simply as a pre-stage to democracy, it also welcomes studies on various aspects of authoritarian polities, politics and policies, with the journal’s explicit aim to develop a broader understanding of possible relationships between authoritarian and democratic politics. While the focus lies on democratization viewed as a process, the journal also builds on the enduring interest in democracy itself and its analysis. Democratization looks at contemporary developments through a comparative lens. There is special reference to democracy, autocracy and democratization in the regions of the Global South and in post-communist societies, but not to the exclusion of other relevant areas such as North America, Australasia, and the European Union and its member states.