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.
3,363 Articles
The System Is Not Working: The Lopsided Election Result, Not The Courts, Saved Our Democracy
The president’s post-election litigation has crashed and burned, but it has reinforced the pernicious idea, born from Bush v. Gore, that it is appropriate for courts to step…
As China Promotes Authoritarian Model, the Resilience of Its Democratic Targets is Key
Pro-democracy political leaders, activists, and media can build on their successes against such influence with help from the world’s leading democracies.
How Biden Can Defeat Strategic Corruption
An incoming president can designate strategic corruption as a national security threat, giving the Treasury Department the task of managing an interagency anti-corruption task…
Pandemic Consequences: The Acceleration of Confrontational Politics
The disruptive potential of this trend will remain a core challenge to political stability as the world staggers toward post-pandemic life.
A Roadmap for Reform: How the Biden Administration Can Revitalize the Office of Legal Counsel
As President-Elect Joe Biden announces his picks for cabinet positions, the Nation’s focus has increasingly turned to the challenges facing the incoming administration. One such…
Needed: A Whistleblower Protection Paradigm Shift
What should be done to provide truly meaningful and effective protections for government employees or contractors seeking to expose wrongdoing in the Intelligence Community?
To Prevent Atrocities, Break Bureaucratic Silos, Don’t Build A New One
Attempts to reduce risks of mass atrocities will be stronger if they are integrated with policy efforts to prevent conflict, address fragility, and counter extremism.
Polish Government’s Attacks on Rule of Law Violate Not Only EU Norms but International Law
The repeated violations of fundamental rights and principles corrode the very foundations of the democracy Poland fought so hard to win.
We Can’t “Look Forward” on the Trump Administration’s Abuses
When President-elect Joe Biden takes office in January, he will confront a national economic crisis and a still out-of-control pandemic. He will also face questions about how to…
The Failed Transparency Regime for Executive Agreements
This article is cross-posted at Lawfare. In late October, the United States and Sudan reportedly signed a bilateral agreement “to resolve claims arising from the 1998…
The UDHR, Digital Authoritarianism, and Human Rights after Trump
"A simple return to an imagined world of pre-Trump human rights is not enough."
The Overlooked Intersection of Social Media and Kleptocracy
It is remarkable that even individuals sanctioned by the United States are not explicitly prohibited from using platforms like Twitter and Facebook to speak directly to international…