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.

× Clear Filters
3,435 Articles
A woman carrying a baby in a sling on her back casts a ballot at a polling station on March 26, 2022 in Mbizo township, Kwekwe, Zimbabwe, during parliamentary and local authority by-elections that were seen as a yardstick of what is to come in the 2023 general polls. (Photo by ZINYANGE AUNTONY/AFP via Getty Images)

Zimbabwe’s Impending Elections: A Challenge for International Observers

Even in the short time left before the Aug. 23 vote, there are steps the government can take to enhance the quality of the elections.
The episode title is shown with sound waves behind it.

The Just Security Podcast: An Update on the Trump Classified Documents Case

Joining the show to discuss the additional charges in the Trump classified documents case is former federal prosecutor David Aaron. 
Statue of Yahya

International Criminal Accountability for Yahya Jammeh’s Administration: The Gambia-ECOWAS Court

The government of The Gambia, ECOWAS, and the AU have a responsibility to action the decades-long justice and accountability demands of the victims and survivors of the Jammeh-era…

Anatomy of a Fraud: Kenneth Chesebro’s Misrepresentation of My Scholarship in His Efforts to Overturn the 2020 Presidential Election

"A key memorandum drafted by Chesebro -- which might otherwise appear relatively innocuous even in how it is discussed in the indictment -- laid the foundation for the scheme grounded,…

Will Mark Meadows Be A Principal Witness Against Donald Trump?

On the role Meadows might play in the January 6th trial, and tradeoffs that Special Counsel Jack Smith needs to consider.
Fishing boats behind a Chinese flag are seen in a harbour on Pingtan island, the closest point in China to Taiwan

Deterrence Lawfare to Save Taiwan

Recognition would be a powerful diplomatic weapon for the US should China abandon a peaceful means to resolve the island's governance.
IMAGE: (L) Special Counsel Jack Smith delivers remarks on a recently unsealed indictment including four felony counts against former U.S. President Donald Trump at the Justice Department on August 1, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images); (R) Members of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol hold its last public meeting in the Canon House Office Building on Capitol Hill on December 19, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo-Pool/Getty Images)

Comparing the Trump Indictment and the January 6th Select Committee’s Final Report

A principal author of the January 6th Select Committee’s report examines the Special Counsel’s indictment for significant new evidence.
The Meta logo is displayed against a white background.

The Meta Studies: Nuanced Findings, Corporate Spin, and Media Oversimplification

A collaboration between social scientists and Meta has been held up as a potential “new model for platform research” that may help explain the effects social media companies…

National Security Implications of Trump’s Superseding Indictment: A Damage Assessment 2.0

The alleged attempt to delete surveillance camera footage at Mar-a-Lago poses its own significant concerns for U.S. national security.
Side shot of Special Counsel Jack Smith

An Overlooked January 6 Charge: The “Stop the Count” Scheme

Section 241 can form the basis for charging Trump and conspirators in connection with their effort to "stop the count" in 2020 presidential election.
Headshot of U.S. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy

Missed Opportunities in House FY24 NDAA for Human Rights Progress in U.S. Security Assistance

The House of Representatives' FY24 NDAA missed the mark in strengthening arms transfer law, which is currently opaque and outdated.
1-12 of 3,435 items

DON'T MISS A THING. Stay up to date with Just Security curated newsletters: