## CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

### BOOK TITLE: THE MALAWI 2025 GENERAL ELECTIONS: NEW LAWS AND SYSTEMS, BETTER OUTCOMES?

- Posted By Admin
- On 20 Feb 2025
- Tag: 2025 Elections

### Introduction

The editors of the book, Associate Professor Nandini Patel, Professor Happy Kayuni and Dr. Henry Chingaipe, invite scholars, researchers, and practitioners to submit abstracts for consideration for inclusion in the forthcoming publication titled: “The Malawi 2025 General Elections: New Laws and Systems, Better Outcomes?” by the National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE), the Institute for Policy Interaction (IPI), and the Political Science Association (PSA).

### Scope

The Political Science Association of Malawi will hold its 3rd Biennial Conference from 3-4 May, 2025-2026 at Sunbird Nkopola Lodge in Mangochi under the theme: '3oth Anniversary of Multiparty Democracy: Reflections on Malawi's Governance, Politics and Development'. This is a Premium gathering of Local and International Political Scientists. For Details on how to be part of this gathering, email PSA Admin: admin@psamalawi.org.

### Objectives

The proposed book shall adopt a wide-ranging and systematic approach. Embracing an electoral cycle framework approach and utilising the "electoral governance" lens, the volume is intended to go beyond superficial documentation of experiences to present candid analyses of the performance and viability of institutional arrangements, structural dynamics, and human agency to shed light on how, singularly or jointly, they impact the quality of democracy generally, and electoral democracy in particular. Thus, by covering the complete electoral cycle—from pre-election preparations to post-election dispute resolution—the proposed book envisages a holistic investigation that emphasizes achievements, vulnerabilities and resilience factors of Malawi’s electoral democracy.

- To evaluate the implementation of the 2020 electoral reforms and their impact on the 2025 general elections.
- To assess the implementation of the Political Parties Act, particularly the regulation of campaign hand-outs, in promoting fair competition and transparency on expenditures through party disclosures;
- To assess whether and how the media, both conventional and modern, impact the political participation of various segments of the electorate and competition among candidates and political parties;

- To assess the status of inclusivity of the electoral process, especially for women, youth and differently-abled persons;
- To examine the role of technology in elections, including the politics of adoption and uptake, contributions to efficiency and effectiveness in - The management of elections and the associated risks and challenges of technology;
- To identify and analyse the drivers of electoral violence and assess the effectiveness of the institutional framework for resolving electoral disputes and preventing and penalising electoral violence;

- To evaluate the delivery and impact of Civic and Voter Education (CVE);
- To compile information and reflect on election observations; and To compare Malawi’s electoral challenges and successes with regional and international trends to draw broader insights.

### Themes

- The Legal Framework, the Electoral Reforms and Implementation
- Boundary Re-demarcation of Constituencies and Wards
- Technology in Elections
- Inclusivity and Participation: Progress and Challenges for Women and Youth and Differently-abled Persons
- The Management of the 2025 Elections

- Political Parties – Conventions, Primaries, Campaign
- Media – Mainstream and Digital
- Civil Society – Civic education, Voter Mobilisation and Election Observation
- Analysing the Vote
- Electoral Disputes, Violence, Resolution and Election Observation

Guidelines • Word limit: 300 words • Submission deadline: 6th March 2025. Late submissions will not be considered. • Submissions to: malawi.ipi@outlook.com and copied to admin@psamalawi.org. We eagerly look forward to your submissions.

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- Elections
- Human Rights
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