Introduction: Democratization Conflicts as Communicative Contestations

The introductory chapter outlines the theoretical framework and key concepts that inform the contributions of this volume. The chapter argues that democratic transitions are frequently accompanied by intense conflicts that revolve around two key issues: the transformation of citizenship and the reconfiguration of power, often associated with issues of transitional justice and intensifying during elections. These conflicts are conceptualized as democratization conflicts. While existing literature has mainly focused on institutional aspects of post-transitional conflicts, this volume takes a communication approach that understands democratization conflicts as communication events that redefine the relationship between citizens and power. The chapter also introduces the research project Media, Conflict and Democratisation and provides detailed information of the research design and methodologies that are employed across this volume.