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Catching the ‘Shanghai Spirit’: How the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Promotes Authoritarian Norms in Central Asia

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  • Thomas Ambrosio

Abstract

This article examines how the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) seeks to undermine democratisation in Central Asia. Prior studies of the interplay between international organisations and democracy have tended to examine only one half of this relationship: whether, how, and under what circumstances do international organisations promote democracy? However, the opposite has been largely ignored: how do international organisations sustain autocracy? Authoritarian governments are increasingly adopting policies aimed at preserving their political power and the SCO represents an additional strategy in this regard: utilising multilateral cooperation to defend themselves against regional or global democratic trends. As such, the ‘Shanghai Spirit’ may be a sign of things to come as autocratic leaders become more bold in their rejection of democratic norms.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Ambrosio, 2008. "Catching the ‘Shanghai Spirit’: How the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Promotes Authoritarian Norms in Central Asia," Europe-Asia Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 60(8), pages 1321-1344.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:ceasxx:v:60:y:2008:i:8:p:1321-1344
    DOI: 10.1080/09668130802292143
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    Cited by:

    1. Maria J. Debre, 2022. "Clubs of autocrats: Regional organizations and authoritarian survival," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 17(3), pages 485-511, July.
    2. Zhenis Kembayev, 2018. "Implementing the Silk Road Economic Belt: from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to the Silk Road Union?," Asia Europe Journal, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 37-50, March.
    3. Thomas Ambrosio & Jakob Tolstrup, 2019. "How do we tell authoritarian diffusion from illusion? Exploring methodological issues of qualitative research on authoritarian diffusion," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 53(6), pages 2741-2763, November.
    4. Alexander Jacob Meland, 2013. "Propellants of a New FATA or Galvanizers of Stability? Reducing Autocatalytic Conflict Dynamics by Brokering Intergovernmental Cooperation between the Ferghana States," Journal of South Asian Development, , vol. 8(2), pages 209-232, August.
    5. Luba Hauff, 2019. "Towards a new quality of cooperation? The EU, China, and Central Asian Security in a Multipolar Age," Asia Europe Journal, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 195-210, June.
    6. Stephen, Matthew D., 2021. "China's New Multilateral Institutions: A Framework and Research Agenda," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 23(3), pages 807-834.
    7. Diana Panke, 2020. "Regional cooperation through the lenses of states: Why do states nurture regional integration?," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 15(2), pages 475-504, April.
    8. Inna Melnykovska & Hedwig Plamper & Rainer Schweickert, 2012. "Do Russia and China promote autocracy in Central Asia?," Asia Europe Journal, Springer, vol. 10(1), pages 75-89, May.
    9. Stephen, Matthew D., 2020. "China's new multilateral institutions: A framework and research agenda," Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Global Governance SP IV 2020-102, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    10. Schweickert, Rainer & Melnykovska, Inna & Plamper, Hedwig, 2012. "External drivers of institutional change in Central Asia: Regional integration schemes and the role of Russia and China," Kiel Working Papers 1763, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).

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