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

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 randomized 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 do not depend on the proximity of individuals to the areas of terrorist attacks or their personal experiences of terrorism. Our results demonstrate that in regions dealing with terrorism, democracy promoters should underline the advantages of democracies but avoid too many references to the domestic political context, which can trigger intense emotional reactions and diminish the impact of democratic promotion. This research enhances our understanding of democracy promotion’s role in fostering resilience and offers insights for advancing democracy and peace in conflict-affected regions.