Decentralisation and participatory democracy in the Global South: forms, cases and challenges

According to the latest Freedom House report, published in 2025, global freedom has declined for the 19th consecutive year. At the same time, democracy has experienced an unprecedented crisis, even in countries where formally free elections have been held. Authoritarian tendencies in Africa and Latin America have compressed spaces for democratic participation by citizens, particularly linguistic, ethnic, religious or gender minorities. However, local civil societies have reacted to this wave of “illiberal liberalism” by focusing their efforts on at least two types of resilience: on the one hand, emphasising the importance of local governments and, on the other, implementing direct forms of citizen participation in public life, usually at the municipal or even sub-municipal level, but without neglecting national initiatives.Evidence of this oscillating trend is provided by some countries with apparently democratic constitutions, but which have long identified decentralisation as one of the threats to the monopolistic management of power. However, it is precisely in some of these countries that a large part of citizens' efforts for more active citizenship is concentrated, with forms of engagement by the population in participatory institutions and protests.This complex scenario shows a constant tension between tendencies of democratic backsliding on the part of local or national elites, often linked to practices of internal neocolonialism or authoritarianism, and, on the other hand, civil societies that are increasingly aware of their rights to citizen participation in decision-making on public issues.This Research Topic aims to stimulate reflection among academics, activists, members of civil society and public policy managers at the local and national levels on the main forms of resilience and active citizenship practices developed in the Global South, with the aim of increasing the power of citizens in the strategic choices of a given territory, thus going beyond the formal and liberal conception of democracy. Articles from minorities and contributions from women, including those from civil society in the Global South, are particularly encouraged. Specifically, the dossier will be focused on the following topics:• Decentralisation, at municipal or sub-municipal level, and its influence on forms of active citizen participation;• Forms of active participation in the exercise of citizenship by formal and informal groups of citizens, with a significant impact on public policies;• Promotion and effectiveness of forms of consultation, involvement and participation in decision-making by local or national authorities;• Forms of participatory democracy at the national level, such as referendums, popular initiative laws, deliberative councils and conferences, among others;• Historical, theoretical or empirical studies on participatory policy formats in the Global South and their implementation;• Engagement and active participation in public life, mainly at the local level, by groups considered to be minorities, including ethnic, linguistic, sexual and religious minorities, with special emphasis on the contribution of women;• Innovative forms of democratic participation by citizens, such as e-democracy and others. Topic editors: Luca Bussotti, Euzeneia Carlos Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/77717/decentralisation-and-participatory-democracy-in-the-global-south-forms-cases-and-challenges