Category Archives: Research on Mongolia

Assessing Academic Freedom Index Score

Posted on May 20, 2025 by JDierkes

By Julian Dierkes I recently posted my description of what the Academic Freedom Index measures and how Mongolia has been scored. Is Mongolia’s decline on Academic Freedom Index real? Or, what is this decline measuring? How are we to understand … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Global Indices, Higher Education, JD Democratization, Research on Mongolia, Social Change | Tagged | Leave a comment

Minegolia: A Curse or a Complex Reality?

Posted on April 15, 2025 by bulgan batdorj

By Bulgan Batdorj  Note: This is a post I originally drafted in 2019 but never posted. I hesitated because my thinking was still evolving. Since then, my understanding has evolved, but I believe it is valuable to share this early … Continue reading →

Posted in Bulgan Batdorj, Mining, Research on Mongolia, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

Double Deel Direct

Posted on July 18, 2024 by JDierkes

By Julian Dierkes As Bulgan B recently pointed out to me, every member of PM Oyun-Erdene’s new cabinet is an MP! Maybe not surprising for many parliamentary democracies, but this has been a lingering topic of discussion for many years. … Continue reading →

Posted in Governance, Government, Ikh Khural 2024, JD Democratization, Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

Speculation about Post-Election Scenarios

Posted on June 22, 2024 by JDierkes

By Julian Dierkes Of course, there is lots of speculation about what election results next week might mean for the next four years. Coalitions? Long-time Mongolia watchers have heard this story before: rampant speculation around Ulaanbaatar that regardless of a … Continue reading →

Posted in Democratic Party, Elections, Ikh Khural 2024, JD Democratization, KhUN, Mongolian People's Party, Party Politics, Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

Constituency Competitiveness

Posted on June 10, 2024 by JDierkes

By Julian Dierkes With the men’s European Championship in football about to start, one might ask if any of the constituencies in the election are a “group of death” like Group D in the Euro where Austria, France, the Netherlands … Continue reading →

Posted in Elections, Ikh Khural 2024, JD Democratization | Tagged | Leave a comment

Balance of Power in Expanded Parliament

Posted on May 6, 2024 by JDierkes

By Julian Dierkes The 2019 constitutional amendments were partly aimed at shifting the balance of power toward parliament and cabinet, away from the presidency. For example, the prohibition on the double deel was intended to strengthen the prime minister by … Continue reading →

Posted in Democracy, Democratic Party, Governance, Ikh Khural 2024, JD Democratization, KhUN, Mongolian People's Party, Party Politics, Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

Expectations of Coming Election

Posted on April 8, 2024 by JDierkes

By Julian Dierkes With Marissa Smith and D Enkhtsetseg, I have set the stage for the coming parliamentary election in terms of the changes to the electoral system. I have previously offered some thoughts of what these changes might imply … Continue reading →

Posted in Corruption, Democratic Party, Elections, Foreign Policy, Governance, Ikh Khural 2024, JD Democratization, KhUN, Mining Governance, Mongolian People's Party, Party Politics, Policy, Politics, Public Policy, Social Issues, Ulaanbaatar | Tagged | Leave a comment

The ONE Challenge

Posted on February 12, 2024 by JDierkes

By Julian Dierkes Because few other people focus much of their attention on Mongolia, I often get asked questions that are more fundamental then I might be on other topics. In a conversation recently, sparked by the state visit of … Continue reading →

Posted in Corruption, Countryside, Democracy, Demography, Development, Diversification, Economics, Environment, Foreign Policy, Ikh Khural 2024, JD Mining Governance, Mining, Mining Governance, Policy, Politics, Public Policy, Reflection, Social Issues | Tagged | Leave a comment

Party Strategies under a Mixed Electoral System in 2024

Posted on December 27, 2023 by JDierkes

By Julian Dierkes Recent constitutional amendments will have a profound impact on the 2024 parliamentary election especially as they will change candidates’ calculus about their nomination. Individuals seeking office or re-election will have the option of attempting to win one … Continue reading →

Posted in Democratic Party, Ikh Khural 2024, JD Democratization, Mongolian People's Party, National Labor Party, Party Politics, Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

Friendship Medal

Posted on November 26, 2023 by JDierkes

By Julian Dierkes I was awarded a Friendship Medal by Foreign Minister B Battsetseg at a reception commemorating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canada and Mongolia, and also the announcement of an upgrade of the bilateral relationship to … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Reflection, Research on Mongolia | Leave a comment

Mongolian Studies vs Research on Mongolia: XII Congress of Mongolists

Posted on October 14, 2023 by JDierkes

By Julian Dierkes The International Association of Mongol Studies meets every five years. Actually pretty cool that the association based in Mongolia exists and has a regular, if rare meeting. I previously wrote about the 2011 Xth Congress, some indication … Continue reading →

Posted in Conferences, Congress of Mongolists, Research on Mongolia | Tagged | Leave a comment

Party Landscape and Constitutional Amendments in Summer 2023

Posted on June 27, 2023 by JDierkes

By Julian Dierkes and Marissa J. Smith While the MPP has now had a supermajority in parliament since 2016, the 2024 election is beginning to loom and the newly adopted constitutional amendment and amended Law on Elections with their shift to a … Continue reading →

Posted in Constitution, Democracy, Democratic Party, Elections, Ikh Khural 2024, JD Democratization, Mongolian People's Party, National Labor Party, Party Politics, Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

New Constitutional Amendments Toward Expansion of Parliament and Proportional Representation in Parliamentary Elections

Posted on May 11, 2023 by JDierkes

By Julian Dierkes In mid-May it is looking like the constitution will be amended. D Amarbayasgalan has been very involved in process of proposing amendments as General Secretary of the MPP (more information about Amarbayasgalan) Үндсэн Хуулийн өөрчлөлтийн төслийг өргөн … Continue reading →

Posted in Constitution, Democracy, Elections, Ikh Khural 2024, JD Democratization, Party Politics, Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

Guest Post: Canada and Mongolia – The Enhanced Development Partnership that Never Was

Posted on March 21, 2023 by JDierkes

By Stephen Brown In the early 2010s, the Canadian government, under Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, developed a special interest in Mongolia. In 2014, after a flurry of diplomatic visits, Canada designated Mongolia a “country of focus” for its development … Continue reading →

Posted in Bilateral Aid, Canada, CIRDI, Development, International Relations, Mining, Mining Governance, Public Policy, Research on Mongolia, Stephen Brown | Leave a comment

Political Predictions and Why I Struggle with Making Them

Posted on March 6, 2023 by JDierkes

By Julian Dierkes People expect political predictions from me as a longtime Mongolia observer and country specialist. Even when I feel relatively certain of some predictions I would make, there is always that nagging doubt that strange things might happen … Continue reading →

Posted in Constitution, Democracy, Ikh Khural 2024, Law, Politics, Reflection, Research on Mongolia | Tagged | Leave a comment