Democracy & Rule of Law

Just Security’s expert authors provide analysis on threats and challenges to democracy and the rule of law in the United States and globally. Coverage includes analysis of the separation of powers, good governance, democratic backsliding, authoritarianism, judicial independence, freedom of the press and association, and accountability for rule of law violations.

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3,333 Articles
Three screenshots of Tucker Carlson speaking on television.

The Propaganda Playbook: A Section-by-Section Dissection of Tucker Carlson’s Communication Strategy

Historian of political rhetoric and propaganda expert, professor Jennifer Mercieca annotates a recent Tucker Carlson presentation.
Police fire water cannons at demonstrators. A cannon hits a demonstrator flinging them through the air. The air is orange and hazy.

Duque’s War in Colombia: High Stakes For UN, OAS, and Biden Administration as Human Rights Crisis Spins Out of Control

Amid widespread protests, continued US support for Duque will further erode implementation of the peace accords and spur deeper conflict.
A person types on a laptop. Translucent icons litter the image to represent cybersecurity.

Protect Communications Privacy for All of Us—Not Just Lawmakers and Reporters

It’s Time for Congress to Finish What It Started After the Snowden Revelations.
Facebook co-founder, Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before the House Energy and Commerce Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill April 11, 2018 in Washington, DC.

A Deeper Dive: Facebook’s Response to Oversight Board on Trump May Be Less Than It Appears

A deeper dive shows the company is not ready to engage with the board's most far-reaching recommendations,
The weapons and ammunition federal agents found in Christopher Paul Hasson's Silver Spring apartment. At least nine large guns are shown along with a number of smaller guns and other weapons.

Reviewing the First-Ever National Strategy to Counter Domestic Terrorism

This week, the White House released the first strategy developed specifically to address the domestic terrorist threat.
Students wait outside classrooms in Sittwe, capital of western Rakhine State on June 1, 2021. Barbed wire separates the photographer and the students.

Beyond the Coup in Myanmar: Don’t Let the Light of Education Be Extinguished

Educational reforms in Myanmar were derailed first by COVID, then by the coup. A local teacher explains the consequences, and how the international community can support education…
A gate with the United Nations seal in front of the UN headquarters in New York City.

Time for a Course Correction on Counterterrorism and Civic Space

A defining feature of the U.N. counterterrorism eco-system is its lack of openness to outside expertise and civil society voices.
A protester wearing a facemask as protection from the coronavirus takes part in a protest over the newly approved anti-terror law on July 4, 2020 in Quezon city, Metro Manila, Philippines. The protestor carries a sign reading, “Resist Terror Law! – Spark” and raises a fist in the air. Other protestors in the background also carry signs and wear face masks.

Opening Pandora’s Box: New “Threats” in the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy

How should the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy respond to “new threats” of “terrorism"?
FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies during a House Judiciary Committee oversight hearing on Capitol Hill June 10, 2021 in Washington, DC.

Questions for FBI Director Wray About the January 6 Attack

Former FBI General Counsel Andrew Weissmann and Ryan Goodman drafted 10 lines of inquiry for Wray in advance of Tuesday's hearing.
A Rohingya refugee family rests in a temporary shelter days after a fire burnt their home at a refugee camp in Ukhia, in the southeastern Cox's Bazar district on March 25, 2021.

Beyond the Coup in Myanmar: The Views of Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh

The coup seemed to dash Rohingya refugee hopes of return to Myanmar. But some feel cautious hope at newfound cross-ethnic solidarity.
Trump supporters storm the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. They cover the stairs and the bleachers set up for the inauguration. They carry American flags, Trump flags, anti-Semitic flags, and other white supremacist flags.

What Should Happen With the January 6th Investigation Now? Experts Weigh In.

Five top experts share their views of the virtues and perils of specific options Congress may now pursue.
With an image of himself on a screen in the background, Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before the House Financial Services Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill October 23, 2019 in Washington, DC.

Senate Report on January 6 Points to Need to Investigate Role of Social Media in Insurrection

Hendrix identifies three lines of inquiry for an investigation to follow.
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