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

Revitalizing US Democracy Starts with Repairing the Right to Peaceful Assembly
Five actions the Biden administration can take to better protect the right to peaceful assembly.

Biden’s Global Priority No. 1: Turn the Authoritarian Tide
Any other challenge will be exponentially harder to address as long as authoritarian leaders and the militarized systems that support them have free rein.

Nestlé & Cargill v. Doe Series: In Oral Arguments, Justices Weigh Liability for Chocolate Companies
U.S. corporations, including Nestle and Cargill, may face massive liability under the Alien Tort Statute for aiding and abetting slavery abroad. But does the ATS support such liability?…

Global Kleptocracy as an American Problem
Putting an end to the spread of corruption from kleptocratic autocracies into the United States will be one of the most significant challenges for the incoming administration.

Libya: Subnational Governance as a Potential Anchor of Stability
As the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum proceeds, a government structure that genuinely responds to legitimate grievances will be key to sustainable peace.

A Post-Election Trump Firing Makes the Case for an Independent, Regulatory CISA
Incoming President Biden and Congress should seize the moment of the agency’s high profile to strengthen its role in protecting critical US infrastructure.

Defending Human Rights Is Not Terrorism: The Egypt Arrests as a Case in Point
The UN's global counterterrorism system creates a permissive and enabling environment that sustains and facilitates abuse of rights defenders,

Trump’s Veto Threat Over Confederate-Named Bases Erodes U.S. Security and American Values
Given the historical significance of this moment and the alternatives for commemorating real, heroism, Congress has a moral and practical obligation to act.

Cambodian Rights Activist and 55 Others Face Trial as Crackdown on Dissent Intensifies
Given the control that Prime Minister Hun Sen’s ruling party wields over the judiciary, their odds of getting a fair trial are slim.

COVID-19 and International Law Series: Human Rights Law – Civil and Political Rights
[Editor’s Note: This article is part of a Just Security series, COVID and International Law. All articles in the series can be found here.] States around the world have had…

How a New Administration—and a New Congress—Can Fix Prepublication Review: A Roadmap for Reform
The new administration, and the new Congress, should act more decisively to reform this broken system.

How to Fight Truth Decay: Protect the Truth Tellers
What better way of protecting the truth than by offering a safe haven for journalists who risk their lives to inform us.