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.
3,471 Articles

How to Choose Which Military Members to Hold Accountable for Illegal Boat Strikes
A retired judge advocate explains how a future administration could decide who to prosecute for the illegal strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats.

Why It’s Wrong to Involuntarily Mobilize Reserve JAGs for Immigration Cases
Federal law specifies that involuntary mobilization is to be used only to provide military forces for war or national emergencies.

After Colombia’s Presidential Election, What Next on Climate and Human Rights?
Although too early to tell whether campaign promises will translate into policy, de la Espriella’s platform on climate and human rights marks a departure from the Petro administration.

Justice Gorsuch’s Slaughter Opinion is a Direct Threat to Congress
In light of recent Supreme Court rulings, Congress should act now to assert the full extent of its authority over the federal bureaucracy.

To Audition for the Role of Attorney General, Blanche Is Prosecuting to Please
Attorney General nominee Todd Blanche's prosecutions of Comey and others reveal a pattern of prosecutorial sycophancy — charges brought to please Trump.

The Dangers of Florida’s New “Terrorist” Designations
Anyone who cares about the First Amendment should be concerned about HB 1471 and the spread of state-level terrorism designation laws.

What does the Trump Administration Statement on Dismantling the ICC Really Mean?
International law experts respond to the Trump administration's campaign to "dismantle" the International Criminal Court.

Revived Islamophobic Narratives Pose Renewed Danger as Bosnia Commemorates the Srebrenica Genocide
Bosnian Serb leader denies the mass killings, rapes, and ethnic cleansing of Bosniaks while reviving racist, anti-Muslim narratives that preceded the atrocities.

“Lost to History”: Uses and Abuses of the Past in Slaughter and Cook
In these two cases, the Court misread history with an unmistakable result: two fundamentally irreconcilable decisions.

What is the Election Assistance Commission With No Commissioners?
An expert backgrounder on the implications of President Trump's removal of all members of the bipartisan commission.

It Takes More Than Two to Tango: Creating Effective Export Controls on Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment
The U.S. needs to lead a new export control regime -- coordinating with its partners and allies -- to constrain China’s ability to produce advanced and foundational chips.

Breaking the Cycle: Transitional Justice in America After Trump
A post-Trump America must finally turn transitional justice tools inward and reckon with failures it has long refused to face if it aims to repair, not simply ignore.