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.
3,333 Articles
Getting Real About General Flynn
At a rally in Dallas on May 30, 2021, retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General Michael T. Flynn put his foot in his mouth. Again. This time his offense was a comment in response to…
Why Supporters of Democracy and Security Both Need to Care about Security Sector Governance
Too often, the United States ends up feeding well-intentioned assistance and training into an impervious, corrupt system that eats the aid and spits out further instability.
Beyond the Coup in Myanmar: The Emerging New Politics of Gen Z
The atrocities committed by Tatmadaw soldiers have changed not only Myanmar’s political landscape but fundamentally transformed its political psyche.
A Pending Decision Pits Peace vs. Democracy in the Philippines
The question of postponing an election due next year in an autonomous region of Mindanao has some civil society organizations supporting the president's position.
Controlling the Lens of History: From Tulsa to the Capitol Mob
(Editor’s Note: This article is part of a Just Security series on the hundredth anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, with more essays in the following days.) The centennial…
How the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 Was (and Might Be) Forgotten
"This effort exemplifies what the philosopher Charles Mills calls 'white ignorance,' in which the ideology of white supremacy infects what counts as knowledge, and testimony about…
Reckoning with State-Sanctioned Racial Violence: Lessons from the Tulsa Race Massacre
Top legal scholar outlines five "features of what a capacious commitment to democratic repair in the wake of state violence might mean" for Tulsa.
Introduction to Just Security’s Series on Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921
This article introduces a new series on the hundredth anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre. The series will bring together experts to re-examine different aspects of the Tulsa…
What Do Future U.S. Generals Think About Dissent, Disobedience, and Resignation?
Survey research suggests respect for civilian-control appears to be the exception, not the norm, among a significant portion of the senior military officers who participated.
A New Consensus Around Transparency and National Security Surveillance
Civil libertarian arguments that were dismissed a decade ago are now broadly accepted, even at the highest levels of the intelligence community.
Beyond the Coup: Can the United Nations Escape Its History in Myanmar?
After decades of awkward and all-around frustrating engagement, the U.N. needs to step forward with a more flexible and conscious approach that shows it has learned from past mistakes.
Why Fighting White Supremacy Is Important for America’s Role in World
Only by addressing its most dire democracy crises at home can the United States speak with authority abroad.