Maternity leave in 2020-2021, 2018-2019, 2012-2013, and 2010-2011.
Adjusted PhD age: 2.8 years (as of June 2022)
Research areas: Democratization, authoritarianism, elections, violence, women in politics, Sub-Saharan Africa
Academic positions
2015- : Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Aarhus University
2016: Visiting Fellow, The Electoral Integrity Project, University of Sydney (host: Professor Pippa Norris)
Education
2015: PhD, Political Science, Aarhus University. “The Power to Control: How State Capacity and Economic Control Condition the Effect of Authoritarian Elections”.
2013: Visiting Fellow, Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law, Stanford University (host: Professor Larry Diamond)
2012: MSc Political Science, Aarhus University
2008: MSc Comparative Politics, London School of Economics, (graduated with distinction)
2007: BSc Political Science, Aarhus University
Peer-reviewed publications
Articles
Wahman, Michael and Merete Bech Seeberg. “Paying to Play. How Parliamentary Candidates Fund Ruling Party Campaigns in Malawi” Forthcoming in Comparative Politics.
Seeberg, Merete Bech. 2021. “How State Capacity Helps Autocrats Win Elections.” British Journal of Political Science, 51(2): 541-558.
Reeder, Bryce W., and Merete Bech Seeberg. 2018. “Fighting Your Friends? A Study of Intra-Party Violence in Sub-Saharan Africa.” Democratization 25 (6): 1033–51.
Seeberg, Merete Bech, Michael Wahman, and Svend-Erik Skaaning. 2018. “Candidate Nomination, Intra-Party Democracy, and Election Violence in Africa.” Democratization 25 (6): 959–77).
Seeberg, Merete Bech. 2018. “Electoral Authoritarianism and Economic Control.” International Political Science Review 39 (1): 33–48.
Seeberg, Merete Bech. 2014. “State Capacity and the Paradox of Authoritarian Elections”, Democratization, 21(7): 1265-1285.
Seeberg, Merete Bech. 2013. “Authoritarianism and Elections during the Third Wave”, Statsvetenskaplig Tidsskrift, 115(4): 313-344.
Books
Seeberg, Merete Bech. 2018. State Capacity, Economic Control, and Authoritarian Elections. Oxon and New York: Routledge.
Seeberg, Merete Bech, Michael Wahman, and Svend-Erik Skaaning (eds.). 2018. Violence and candidate nomination in Africa. Oxon and New York: Routledge.
Seeberg, Merete Bech. 2015. The Power to Control. How State Capacity and Economic Control Condition the Effect of Authoritarian Elections. PhD Dissertation. Aarhus University, Politica.
Editor
2018: Editor of special issue: Seeberg, Merete Bech, Michael Wahman, and Svend-Erik Skaaning. “Candidate Nomination, Intra-party Democracy and Election Violence in Africa”, Democratization 25(6).
Non peer-reviewed publications
Textbook chapters
Seeberg, Merete Bech. 2017. "Stabilitet og forandring i autoritære regimer", s. 151-172 in Introduktion til komparativ politik, Hassing Nielsen, Julie, Aagaard Seeberg, Michael, and Jakob Tolstrup (eds.), København: Hans Reitzel.
Book reviews
Seeberg, Merete Bech. 2018. “Book Review: Why Elections Fail.” Party Politics 24 (2): 222–23.
Work in progress
"How does primary election manipulation affect the selection of women candidates? Evidence from Malawi" with Michael Wahman.
"The effect of gender campaigns on voters’ willingness to vote for women candidates" with George Ofosu and Michael Wahman.
Research project leadership
2022-2026: Project leader. Women in Politics in Africa. Funded by the Danish Research Council. 3,000,000 DKK.
2015-2020: Conflict and Democratization (CODE), Aarhus University. Co-leader of workpackage B. Funded by Innovationsfonden. 16,000,000 DKK.
Media publications and dissemination
Seeberg, Merete Bech and Michael Wahman, 2019. “Why Does Malawi have 1,331 candidates running for 193 seats in parliament?”. The Washington Post, Monkey Cage, March 11.
Elklit, Jørgen, Merete Bech Seeberg og Svend-Erik Skaaning. 2016. ”Vold i egne rækker”. Weekendavisen, Ideer, September 23, p. 5.
Elklit, Jørgen og Merete Bech Seeberg. 2016. “Verdensmestre i valg”. Weekendavisen, Ideer, March 23, p. 4.
Seeberg, Merete Bech. 2015. “Valgobservatører: Gør de en forskel?”. Weekendavisen, Ideer, December 11, p. 12.
Seeberg, Merete Bech. 2015. “Når diktatoren udskriver valg”. Weekendavisen, Ideer, April 10, p. 12.
Radio appearances on Danish Radio (DR) and Radio 4 on topics related to election observation
Public talks on elections, democratization, and election observation with Danish youth parties and NGOs
Selected services to the professions
2020: Organizer and host of international workshop, Aarhus University, Feb 28-29: “Representation and Elections in Africa”.
2019: Discussant, European Political Science Association’s (EPSA) Annual Meeting, University of Belfast, June 20-22.
2018: Organizer and host of international workshop, Aarhus University, Oct 25-26: “Challenges to Democratization”.
2018: Invited discussant, V-Dem Conference, University of Gothenburg, May 28-29.
2017: Organizer and host of international workshop, Aarhus University, March 29-30: “Political Parties, Election Violence, and Democratization”.
Reviewer at: American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, British Journal of Political Science, European Journal of Political Research, Party Politics, Democratization, Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties and others.
Teaching
2022: Elections in Africa, seminar, MA, Aarhus University
2020: Elections in Dictatorships and New Democracies, seminar, MA, Aarhus University
2017: Comparative Politics, course coordinator, lecturer, and seminar teacher, BA, Aarhus University.
2016: Comparative Politics, course coordinator and lecturer, BA, Aarhus University.
2015: Comparative Politics, lecturer, BA, Aarhus University.
2014, 2015, 2016: Introductory course on election observation for EU and OSCE election observers, The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
2013: Authoritarian Regimes: Stability, Change, and Breakdown, seminar, MA, Aarhus University.
2010: Comparative Politics II; TA, BA, Aarhus University.
Awards
2008: Awarded the Bill Letwin Prize for best performance in the master program in Comparative Politics (Democracy), London School of Economics.
Field work and deployments
2014: OSCE short-term election observer, Moldova.
2014: Field work, elite interviews, Harare and Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
Adjusted PhD age: 2.8 years (as of June 2022)
Research areas: Democratization, authoritarianism, elections, violence, women in politics, Sub-Saharan Africa
Academic positions
2015- : Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Aarhus University
2016: Visiting Fellow, The Electoral Integrity Project, University of Sydney (host: Professor Pippa Norris)
Education
2015: PhD, Political Science, Aarhus University. “The Power to Control: How State Capacity and Economic Control Condition the Effect of Authoritarian Elections”.
2013: Visiting Fellow, Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law, Stanford University (host: Professor Larry Diamond)
2012: MSc Political Science, Aarhus University
2008: MSc Comparative Politics, London School of Economics, (graduated with distinction)
2007: BSc Political Science, Aarhus University
Peer-reviewed publications
Articles
Wahman, Michael and Merete Bech Seeberg. “Paying to Play. How Parliamentary Candidates Fund Ruling Party Campaigns in Malawi” Forthcoming in Comparative Politics.
Seeberg, Merete Bech. 2021. “How State Capacity Helps Autocrats Win Elections.” British Journal of Political Science, 51(2): 541-558.
Reeder, Bryce W., and Merete Bech Seeberg. 2018. “Fighting Your Friends? A Study of Intra-Party Violence in Sub-Saharan Africa.” Democratization 25 (6): 1033–51.
Seeberg, Merete Bech, Michael Wahman, and Svend-Erik Skaaning. 2018. “Candidate Nomination, Intra-Party Democracy, and Election Violence in Africa.” Democratization 25 (6): 959–77).
Seeberg, Merete Bech. 2018. “Electoral Authoritarianism and Economic Control.” International Political Science Review 39 (1): 33–48.
Seeberg, Merete Bech. 2014. “State Capacity and the Paradox of Authoritarian Elections”, Democratization, 21(7): 1265-1285.
Seeberg, Merete Bech. 2013. “Authoritarianism and Elections during the Third Wave”, Statsvetenskaplig Tidsskrift, 115(4): 313-344.
Books
Seeberg, Merete Bech. 2018. State Capacity, Economic Control, and Authoritarian Elections. Oxon and New York: Routledge.
Seeberg, Merete Bech, Michael Wahman, and Svend-Erik Skaaning (eds.). 2018. Violence and candidate nomination in Africa. Oxon and New York: Routledge.
Seeberg, Merete Bech. 2015. The Power to Control. How State Capacity and Economic Control Condition the Effect of Authoritarian Elections. PhD Dissertation. Aarhus University, Politica.
Editor
2018: Editor of special issue: Seeberg, Merete Bech, Michael Wahman, and Svend-Erik Skaaning. “Candidate Nomination, Intra-party Democracy and Election Violence in Africa”, Democratization 25(6).
Non peer-reviewed publications
Textbook chapters
Seeberg, Merete Bech. 2017. "Stabilitet og forandring i autoritære regimer", s. 151-172 in Introduktion til komparativ politik, Hassing Nielsen, Julie, Aagaard Seeberg, Michael, and Jakob Tolstrup (eds.), København: Hans Reitzel.
Book reviews
Seeberg, Merete Bech. 2018. “Book Review: Why Elections Fail.” Party Politics 24 (2): 222–23.
Work in progress
"How does primary election manipulation affect the selection of women candidates? Evidence from Malawi" with Michael Wahman.
"The effect of gender campaigns on voters’ willingness to vote for women candidates" with George Ofosu and Michael Wahman.
Research project leadership
2022-2026: Project leader. Women in Politics in Africa. Funded by the Danish Research Council. 3,000,000 DKK.
2015-2020: Conflict and Democratization (CODE), Aarhus University. Co-leader of workpackage B. Funded by Innovationsfonden. 16,000,000 DKK.
Media publications and dissemination
Seeberg, Merete Bech and Michael Wahman, 2019. “Why Does Malawi have 1,331 candidates running for 193 seats in parliament?”. The Washington Post, Monkey Cage, March 11.
Elklit, Jørgen, Merete Bech Seeberg og Svend-Erik Skaaning. 2016. ”Vold i egne rækker”. Weekendavisen, Ideer, September 23, p. 5.
Elklit, Jørgen og Merete Bech Seeberg. 2016. “Verdensmestre i valg”. Weekendavisen, Ideer, March 23, p. 4.
Seeberg, Merete Bech. 2015. “Valgobservatører: Gør de en forskel?”. Weekendavisen, Ideer, December 11, p. 12.
Seeberg, Merete Bech. 2015. “Når diktatoren udskriver valg”. Weekendavisen, Ideer, April 10, p. 12.
Radio appearances on Danish Radio (DR) and Radio 4 on topics related to election observation
Public talks on elections, democratization, and election observation with Danish youth parties and NGOs
Selected services to the professions
2020: Organizer and host of international workshop, Aarhus University, Feb 28-29: “Representation and Elections in Africa”.
2019: Discussant, European Political Science Association’s (EPSA) Annual Meeting, University of Belfast, June 20-22.
2018: Organizer and host of international workshop, Aarhus University, Oct 25-26: “Challenges to Democratization”.
2018: Invited discussant, V-Dem Conference, University of Gothenburg, May 28-29.
2017: Organizer and host of international workshop, Aarhus University, March 29-30: “Political Parties, Election Violence, and Democratization”.
Reviewer at: American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, British Journal of Political Science, European Journal of Political Research, Party Politics, Democratization, Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties and others.
Teaching
2022: Elections in Africa, seminar, MA, Aarhus University
2020: Elections in Dictatorships and New Democracies, seminar, MA, Aarhus University
2017: Comparative Politics, course coordinator, lecturer, and seminar teacher, BA, Aarhus University.
2016: Comparative Politics, course coordinator and lecturer, BA, Aarhus University.
2015: Comparative Politics, lecturer, BA, Aarhus University.
2014, 2015, 2016: Introductory course on election observation for EU and OSCE election observers, The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
2013: Authoritarian Regimes: Stability, Change, and Breakdown, seminar, MA, Aarhus University.
2010: Comparative Politics II; TA, BA, Aarhus University.
Awards
2008: Awarded the Bill Letwin Prize for best performance in the master program in Comparative Politics (Democracy), London School of Economics.
Field work and deployments
2014: OSCE short-term election observer, Moldova.
2014: Field work, elite interviews, Harare and Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.