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
Norms Watch: Damage to Democracy and Rule of Law in July 2019
Editor’s Note: Welcome to the latest installment of Norms Watch, our series tracking both the flouting of democratic norms by the Trump administration and the erosion of those…
Trump’s Encouraging QAnon May Result in Violence—Just ask the FBI
"A few hours after the FBI assessment leaked, the President held a campaign rally in Cincinnati, where the pre-rally speaker Brandon Straka called out the phrase, 'Where we go…
Border Agents’ Secret Facebook Group Highlights Social Media Vetting Risks for Immigrants
Government social media monitoring is ripe for abuse in any context, but the implications of Customs and Border Protection's environment of racism and lack of oversight demand…
How Secrecy Undermines Mueller and the Defense of Democracy
Official secrecy can diminish democratic discourse, limit debate, and blind the Congress and the public to the nature of the most imminent threats to democracy, all in the name…
Revisiting General Counsel Ney’s Speech in Light of New Pentagon Leadership
Former Department of Defense official (OSD) Luke Hartig critiques General Counsel Paul Ney's recent speech on the framework governing US military operations.
Congress Tackles the “100-Mile” Border Zone for Federal Checkpoints
A long-festering issue affecting the entire U.S. border on the north, south, east, and west is finally getting congressional attention: the so-called “100-mile border zone”…
Airbnb’s Listings in Disputed Territories: A Tortured Compromise
Under the terms of two recent court settlements, Airbnb will continue to offer rentals in Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories. That reversal raises potentially…
“Virtual Iowa Caucuses” Demand Cybersecurity Attention: 2020 Election Security Can’t Wait Till 2020
The past week featured stark reminders of the importance of election security as the 2020 presidential election swiftly approaches. First, former Special Counsel Robert Mueller…
How Congress Can Access the Legal Powers of Impeachment Without a Formal Inquiry
"It is safe to say the House is already well within the zone of its impeachment powers and may exercise the necessary and proper authorities that come with that power to investigate…
The Senate Intelligence Committee’s Troubling Conclusions About US Election Infrastructure
The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) released its first of several bipartisan reports about its own investigation into Russia’s 2016 election interference on Thursday.…
Democratic Debates Round 2: Time to Ask About America’s Courts
When the Democratic U.S. presidential candidates face off in Detroit for their second debates July 30-31, they or the moderators should raise what will be one of the most pressing…
Mueller Moments You Might Have Missed
You might not have caught all of these more substantive, significant, and revealing moments on Wednesday, but they were there, tucked away in between the many times Special Counsel…