What Tunisia’s Democratic Experiment Reveals About Reform, Representation, and the Future of Democracy in The Middle East and North Africa.
The Middle East and North Africa remain one of the few world regions where authoritarianism has persisted despite waves of democratization elsewhere. The current global erosion of democratic norms may have made it even more difficult for MENA countries to return to the path of democratization. Tunisia’s democratic decade (2011–2021) presents a unique opportunity to better understand the challenges of democratization in this region. Assistant Professor of Political Science Aytuğ Şaşmaz, explores this opportunity through a series of recent and forthcoming publications.
Şaşmaz’s recently published research examines how institutional reforms, particularly gender quotas and decentralization, shape political representation and state-society relations in transitioning democracies. His work on Tunisia, widely regarded as the most promising case of democratization in the region following the Arab uprisings, seeks to uncover both the potential and limitations of such reforms in sustaining democratic gains.
In his 2024 publication, “What Men Want: Parties’ Strategic Engagement with Gender Quotas,” Şaşmaz studied gender quotas in Tunisia’s first municipal elections, conducting a candidate survey to analyze its effects. Candidate surveys are extremely rare in the MENA region, and with his co-authors, Şaşmaz was able to collect data from almost two thousand candidates in these foundational elections.
Tunisia’s progressive gender quotas in the democratic era ensured near-equal representation in municipal councils, as parties faced penalties for non-compliance. However, despite these advancements, new barriers emerged at the leadership level. "Women were elected as council members, but when it came to electing mayors, positions not covered by quotas, parties were far less likely to nominate women," Şaşmaz says. His research highlighted the limitations of gender quotas in securing leadership roles for women due to the gatekeeping practices of party leaders.
In another recent publication, “Local Political Priorities During Tunisia’s First Democratic Municipal Elections,” Şaşmaz looked at whether the priorities of elected candidates aligned with those of the citizens in the first local elections.
“The first local elections are quite important,” Şaşmaz says. “We found that the citizens prioritized job creation, but the candidates were much more likely to prioritize security provisions. This divergence reflects a broader issue: many candidates came from higher socioeconomic backgrounds and were less likely to prioritize economic concerns.”
His research emphasizes the broader challenges of decentralization in the MENA region as it remains more centralized than other parts of the world.
“Decentralization is very important for democratization. If people can experience it at the local level, the chances for democracy to survive and to get consolidated at the national level increases,” Şaşmaz says.
Şaşmaz’s research about Tunisia’s experience with democracy is continuing. In upcoming publications, he will explore how the history of post-colonial state-building and secular-religious cleavage shaped the party system in the democratic transition era and why the secular parties could not form a robust alternative. His research around different aspects of democratization offers multiple perspectives on why democratic reforms succeed or stall, particularly in post-authoritarian societies navigating complex social and institutional legacies.
In addition to his research, Şaşmaz has brought his passion for teaching to Bryn Mawr, where he encourages students to critically examine their own arguments.
“When they say something, I ask, ‘What do you mean? Why do you say that? Why do you think so?’ I want them to anticipate counterarguments to their positions,” he says.
He also emphasizes the importance of concrete research skills and hands-on experience. To that end, Şaşmaz offers multiple pathways for students to engage in research: a Research Design and Data Analysis course offered every fall, research-driven assignments embedded in his other classes, senior thesis advising, and opportunities for students to serve as research assistants on his ongoing projects. Many of his students go on to work in political campaigns—roles that demand rigorous research and the ability to engage with evidence-based arguments.
Şaşmaz came to Bryn Mawr in 2022 and credits the College’s close-knit academic environment for facilitating deep-thinking conversations with his students. “Having worked at institutions of all sizes, I love the cozy environment Bryn Mawr brings to academia. You have a closer relationship with students, who are incredibly driven and curious. They are very committed to their academic studies with a willingness to learn and understand," he says.
This spring, Şaşmaz is teaching Political Parties, Polarization and Democracy and Introduction to Comparative Politics.