Dynamics of Democracy in Timor-Leste

Rui Graça Feijó is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Social Studies, University of Coimbra, and Associate Researcher at the Institute for Contemporary History, NOVA University of Lisbon.

"Given that the next general elections in Timor-Leste will take place in 2017, this extremely interesting book is a timely and valuable analysis of the state of the polity that will be re-assessed by the people on this occasion. It is a work of knowledge, insight and analysis in which the author demonstrates a passion for his subject ... Every one inside and outside of Timor-Leste who has thought about and cares for democracy as a universal but threatened concept will learn from this book." - Guy Cumes, International Quarterly for Asian Studies, Vol. 47. "This book will be of interest to a wide audience. For those concerned with questions of institutional design and the challenges of its implementation, the book provides a sophisticated account of semi-presidentialism and an encouraging perspective on democratic participation in newly independent states." - Douglas Kammen, National University of Singapore, in Pacific Affairs: Volume 90, No. 4 - December 2017

• Foreword: Revisiting a success story with critical eyes Chapter 1: Democracy in the 21st century: lineages and configurations of an impure concept Chapter 2: Assessing the odds: could Timor-Leste become a Democracy? Chapter 3: Constitutionalism Old and New in the ?UN Kingdom? of Timor-Leste Chapter 4: Elections in a Young Democracy: popular voice and control. Chapter 5: Semi-presidentialism with 'independent' presidents: political inclusiveness and democratic consolidation Chapter 6: Grassroots Democracy: building a decentralized state where worlds meet Epilogue: After 2012: new challenges to the consolidation of Democracy