Promoting democracy in the context of terrorism: Experimental evidence from Burkina Faso

Join us for a talk exploring how democratic values can be strengthened in terrorism-affected contexts. The talk will discuss findings from a Burkina Faso study showing how strategic messaging can effectively build democratic resilience against authoritarian threats.

Democracy, a cornerstone of rights and liberties, faces growing threats from authoritarian ideologies, especially in regions affected by terrorism. This study investigates the impact of democratic promotion interventions targeting ordinary citizens in strengthening democratic support and countering authoritarianism. A well-powered randomised online experiment in Burkina Faso exposed participants to educational videos focusing on: (1) an introduction of civic rights that democracies offer, (2) a general discussion of democracy’s advantages in combating terrorism, (3) a Burkina Faso-specific discussion of democracy’s advantages in combating terrorism, or (4) space exploration (placebo). The results revealed that interventions promoting democracy can increase democratic support even in countries affected by terrorism. Importantly, however, while the video with a general discussion of democracy’s advantages in addressing terrorism had the greatest impact, the country-specific video had little effect. These effects are not contingent on individuals’ proximity to attacks or direct experience of terrorism. This study contributes to understanding how democratic resilience can be strengthened in conflict-affected settings and informs future efforts to promote democracy and peace.

Speaker

Dr Souleymane Yameogo is a Research Associate in Democratic Politics at the University of Glasgow. He studies how terrorism and violent conflict shape democratic attitudes and policy in fragile states, with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa. He uses rigorous methods – online experiments, spatial difference-in-differences, survey research, and historical analysis – to generate policy-relevant evidence. Recent projects include an online randomised controlled trial in Burkina Faso testing democracy-promotion framings under chronic insecurity. His research centres on: (1) how conflict (terrorism, riots, armed clashes) affects post-conflict political and economic behaviour – including trust in security institutions such as the police; (2) tools that mitigate these harms by fostering democratic norms and values; and (3) the legacy of liberation and revolutionary movements for contemporary African governance. Beyond academia, he co-founded the Balai Citoyen movement in Burkina Faso and runs Democrise, a YouTube channel that bridges research and public debate. 

Photo Credit: Street south of Fada N'Gourma / Wikimedia Commons