The three key research objectives for GEM-DIAMOND are:
• Conceptualising the seemingly mounting dissensus surrounding liberal democracy.
All 16 PhD theses are on track to explore– each from the fellow’s specific chosen theoretical and empirical point of view – how contemporary dissensus surrounding liberal democracy is to be best understood. Besides the individual theses, a number of collective outputs are also to tackle this exact questions, notably the scheduled edited volume involving all 16 fellows (edited by professors R. Coman and N. Levrat as well as F. Ponjaert) set to be published with Routledge; and the WP1 coordinated Special Issue entitled “Dissensus on Liberal Democracy in Europe” to be published with European Political Science (EPS) journal under the coordination of professors R. Coman & N. Brack
• Unpacking the ambiguous role different actors can play as both champions and challengers of liberal democratic norms, values and practices.
Similarly to the wider theoretical questions associated with the 1st objective, actor-specific findings centred on their role in shaping contemporary dissensus are also confirmed across both individual theses and collective outputs. A number of theses focus on specific actors of dissensus, with the relevant fellows having completed their fieldwork involving extensive interviews with a range of actors. In particular, those fellows associated with WP2 (but not exclusively) have centred the unpacking of the role specific actors of dissensus in their respective thesis. Again, the collective edited volume involving all 16 fellows will equally bring together some of the findings on actors of dissensus, while the Special Issue associated with WP2 will explore “Political parties as actors of dissensus: insights from the European Parliament” and is set to be published in Comparative European Politics with as editors Professors N. Brack, R. Coman & S. Miscoiu. Additionally two interview anthologies (one to be published with Springer and another to be published with Bloomsbury) will collect interviews done by the fellows during their fieldwork exploring different key actors' understanding of dissensus.
• Assessing the impact of increased dissensus regarding liberal democracy on the policy instruments of the EU and its capacity to act in its internal and external policies.
Again, several scheduled theses have gathered initial findings addressing this specific question with a few of them (i) exploring the external consequences, (ii) some exploring the legal implications (a transversal group of fellows writing their individual project in law), and a final cluster (iii) exploring the impact of dissensus on internal EU policy tools (WP3). Two projected Special Issues will gather insights from the fellows on these questions: one co-edited by Professors N. Levrat & M. Madsen entitled “International Organization and the Struggle for the Rule of Law” to be published in the German Law Journal; and another co-edited by G. Christou, L. Gelhaus and F. Ponjaert entitled “Dissensus and EU external Action Instruments in its Neighbourhoods” to be submitted to Comparative European Politics.
All 16 theses are on track to be submitted by the month 48 deadline. The project's scientific output is also on track to include a further 10 peer-reviewed publications: 2 are already published, a further 6 are under contract, and the final 2 are currently under review.
The collective publication include
1° - Special Issue with European Political Science invloving Hargove, Marginas, & Martinelli [Forthcoming, Spring 2025]
2° - Special Issue with German Law Review including Fleerackers [PPublished August 2023]
3° - Special Issue with Comparative European Politics including Böckmann [Forthcoming, Spring 2025]
4°- Anthology of Interviews with Judges including La Torre & Arrighini [Forthcoming, Bloomsbury, Winter 2025]
5° - Anthology of Interviews with Civil Society Activits, including Hargove, Zech, Del Piano, Cuesta, Larouche, Böckman, Weber, Marginas, Martinelli, Fleerackers, Petrovska, Wong, Dinkel [Forthcoming, Springer, Winter 2025]
6° - Special Issue with German Law Review including Cuesta, Larouche, El Khanza, Arrighini, La Torre [Submitted for Review]
7° - Amsterdam Centre for European Law and Governance Research by Weber [Published, October 2023]
8° - Special Issue with Comparative European Politics including Wong, Dinkel, Del Piano, & Petrovska [Submitted for Review]
9° - Handbook on Impact and Social Sciences including all fellows [Forthcoming, Routledge, Spring 2026]
10° - Edited Volume including all Fellows [Forthcoming, Routledge, Spring 2026]
Besides the scientific objectives GEM-DIAMOND also had three key institutional objectives which were:
• Setting up the Double and Triple degree arrangements promised in the proposal --> The doctoral degrees agreements for all 16 fellows were approved thus confirming all fellows' co-supervisors. By March 2025 1 MDDAs were fully signed while 5 were still pending. All submissions are defences are on track and scheduled to be hosted between September 2025 and September 2026.
• Implementing a joint training agenda over the course of the first two years of the project --> The full joint training program was implemented as described in the description of action was implemented
• Ensuring a sustainable research environment for all 16 fellows with an eye on ensuring all would be able to conclude their thesis within four years --> The sustainability efforts outlined in the description of action were implemented including (i) a green action plan led by the fellows; (ii) a Gender Action plan which was in place at the time of the selection and has continued to be implemented across the project’s milestones (ensuring gender balance among participants) and milestones (ensuring gender balance among the different contributors); and most crucially (iii) a coordinated effort to secure 4-year funding for those fellow needing the extra time beyond the 36-month fellowship to accomplish their work.
