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.
3,181 Articles

Correcting Course: Avoiding the Collision Between Humanitarian Action and Counterterrorism
"When the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2462(2019), aimed at combating the financing of terrorism, it included language meant to protect humanitarian action.…

In Legislation to Reduce Global Violence, Can U.S. Move Beyond a Focus on “Extremism”?
The real priority for the United States is to address not just ‘extremism’ but violent conflict overall by being clear-eyed about the complex factors driving it and what contributes…

When Is a “Literally True” Statement False and a Crime
"Reluctant witnesses, perhaps taking a cue from Attorney General William Barr’s April 9 testimony before a House committee, may think that so long as their testimony is literally…

EU Parliamentary Elections: A Tipping Point for Modern Europe?
Protests last weekend in Vienna and Milan reflect the unusually sharp choice of EU voters between far-right and pro-EU parties in elections May 23-26. Usually an obscure event…

What Nixon’s Impeachment Can and Can’t Tell Us About the Impeachment of Trump
[Editor’s note: Just Security is publishing a series in conversation with Sidney Blumenthal’s “An Open Memo: Comparison of Clinton Impeachment, Nixon Impeachment and Trump…

The Pelosi Approach to Impeachment: Public Education, First
[Editor’s note: Just Security is publishing a series in conversation with Sidney Blumenthal’s “An Open Memo: Comparison of Clinton Impeachment, Nixon Impeachment and Trump…

The Three-Level Game in the White House Effort to Block McGahn’s Testimony
"It is a wonder that the attorney general is gambling on this case, to be brought on this record, to vindicate his constitutional theory."

Why the Fight for the Supreme Court Became So Ugly
In a new documentary, called “Supreme Revenge,” airing Tuesday night on PBS, FRONTLINE goes back decades to tell the story of how the Supreme Court confirmation process has…

Bill Barr’s Extreme Views on War Powers Mean Congress’s Window to Stop War with Iran is Now
Attorney General Barr’s extreme past positions on unilateral presidential power could cut out any required role for Congress in authorizing or rejecting war. Here's what Congress…

Why the Christchurch Call to Remove Online Terror Content Triggers Free Speech Concerns
In deciding whether to endorse the Christchurch Call, the question for U.S. policymakers was whether the text essentially called on the U.S. or others to act inconsistently with…

The Balance Has Shifted: The Data on Impeachment Favor Moving Ahead
"Blumenthal’s piece changes the balance to favor Congress acting now. His data decimate the major impediment to holding Trump accountable – the fear that this president would…

Christchurch Calls and Washington Isn’t Answering
One of the more predictable diplomatic rituals since 9/11 has been that when terrorists strike a close American ally, Washington stands in solidarity with that country, offering…