Dr W. Elliot Bulmer specializes in global research, policy advice, advocacy and civic education on democracy, constitutions, good governance and strong institutions. After leading the Constitution Building team in International IDEA’s Sudan Office (2021-2022), he rejoined International IDEA’s Constitution Building Programme as a Senior Advisor in Constitution Building in January 2023.

Elliot provides technical advice on constitution-building, constitutional reform and constitutional review processes around the world, and has contributed to such processes in countries including Afghanistan, Armenia, Barbados, Belize, Georgia, Myanmar, Philippines, Sudan, Tuvalu and Ukraine.

His research interests include Westminster Model constitutionalism, democracy-maintenance and the prevention of backsliding, local democracy, constitutionalism in small island states, and anti-oligarchic constitutionalism. He is involved in commissioning, authoring, or editing, a wide range of International IDEA’s constitution-building knowledge products, including the Constitution-Building Primers Series and the Annual Review of Constitution Building.

Before joining International IDEA, Elliot was a Logistics Officer in the Royal Navy and served in the Iraq war. He was also Research Director of the Constitutional Commission in Scotland and (during a sabbatical from international work) worked as a Lecturer in Politics at the University of Dundee.

He is the author of four books and several peer-reviewed academic articles on matters relating to constitutionalism and democracy.