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.
3,197 Articles
Expert Q&A on U.S. Military Actions on Venezuela and Boat Strikes
Expert FAQ on the U.S. military operations against Venezuela, high seas boat strikes, seizure of vessels and more.
The Epstein Files and the Seven Member Rule
In a polarized Congress, discharge petitions and the Seven Member Rule preserve a limited but vital role for the minority, strengthening oversight.
Maduro Capture Operation and the President’s Duty to Faithfully Execute U.N. Charter
A decades-old Office of Legal Counsel memorandum claiming the President can disregard the UN Charter does not withstand serious scrutiny.
Timeline of Boat Strikes and Related Actions
A timeline that chronicles major events in the Trump administration’s campaign of lethal strikes against suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.
Fact Checking Bari Weiss: The Stated Reasons for Spiking 60 Minutes “Inside CECOT”
"If 60 Minutes had 'explained this' as Weiss described, the segment would have included false or highly misleading information."
Nine Stories That Deserved More Attention in 2025 – and Might Shape 2026
What stories or topics merited more attention in 2025, and which might inform law and policy conversations in 2026?
No Indispensable Man: The Democratic Foundation of the 22nd Amendment
To violate the 22nd Amendment would be to discard the wisdom of those who sought to preserve U.S. democracy against the last rising tide of authoritarianism.
The Just Security Podcast: Can the U.S. Still Lead on Anti-Corruption? Understanding the Combating Global Corruption Act
Dani Schulkin is joined by former State Department officials Sky Miller and Adam Keith to discuss anti-corruption efforts in the U.S. and abroad.
The Assault on Law School Clinics is an Attack on Democracy Itself
Americans are witnessing a concerted effort to delegitimize legal defense for marginalized or politically disfavored people.
Just Security’s Artificial Intelligence Archive
Just Security's collection of articles analyzing the implications of AI for society, democracy, human rights, and warfare.
History and International Law Proscribe Amnesties for Russian War Crimes
Compromising on prosecutions for Russian atrocities would erode the system of international justice built since Nuremberg and undermine the rule of law itself.
The Trump Administration’s Use of State Power Against Media: Keeping Track of the Big Picture
Tracking the use of State power requires systematically identifying linkages between individual developments and broader trends. This interactive graphic offers one method.