International Networks of Societal Actors and Democratic Diffusion.

International relations (IR) scholars have examined the relationship between international ties and democratization. However, they disproportionately focus on elite-level calculus and behavior, such as hand-tying and credible commitment mechanisms. Such a narrow focus on elite behaviors can only partially account for the impacts of international ties on democratization. For example, the role of political and economic elites as veto players is relevant in the late phase of democratization. Furthermore, their strategic calculus can dilute democracy promotion imperatives. On the other hand, the broader democratization literature highlights that societal actors are important in facilitating democratization. Nevertheless, most studies on the international ties of societal actors focus on specific policy areas falling short of democratization. In this study, I argue that international ties of societal actors increase the chances of democratization while political, military, and economic elites do not have independent causal effects. I empirically test the hypothesis by disaggregating international ties into different types based on actors involved in the interaction. The case study on South Korea's democratization process substantiates the hypothesis by shedding light on the previously overlooked role of the medical community and its international ties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]