About US
Promoting Evidence & Learning About Democratic Backsliding
The Democratic Erosion Consortium (DEC) is a nonpartisan, collaborative effort to address the global challenge of democratic erosion through research, teaching, and multi-stakeholder collaboration. Our focus areas include pedagogy, data collection, research synthesis, and public outreach, with the goal of leveraging evidence to better respond to democratic backsliding worldwide.
Teaching & Learning
Learn about our teaching and pedagogy work, including our Democratic Erosion Course, and a new online short course for practitioners and policymakers (coming soon!).
Documenting Democratic Erosion Through Data
Explore and use our Democratic Erosion Event Dataset (DEED), access our online visualizations, or download the full dataset.
Making Evidence Accessible With Briefs
Download our Democratic Erosion Evidence Briefs (DEE-Briefs), which aim to increase the accessibility, usefulness, and responsiveness of existing evidence for policymakers, practitioners, the media, and the broader public.
Fostering Communication, Learning & Partnerships
Join our multi-stakeholder network, attend virtual events, and sign up for our listserv to stay connected with our network.
TEACHING
Teaching & Learning
The Democratic Erosion Consortium offers a semester-long standardized university course on democratic erosion, making the syllabus, readings, and collaborative assignments accessible to any faculty member around the world. We will soon be launching an online Democratic Erosion Short Course aimed at policymakers and practitioners.
DATASET
Understanding Trends in Democratic Erosion
The Democratic Erosion Event Dataset (DEED) tracks discrete events related to democratic erosion and autocratic consolidation across countries and over time, providing valuable insights into the process of democratic erosion around the world.
Briefs
Democratic Erosion Evidence Briefs (DEE-Briefs)
DEE-Briefs increase the accessibility, usefulness, and responsiveness of existing evidence for policymakers, practitioners, and the broader public.
PARTNERSHIPS
Engage with the Democratic Erosion Consortium
We foster partnerships between academics, policymakers, and practitioners through both in-person and online events, providing opportunities to network and engage.
PARTNERSHIPS
Engage with the Democratic Erosion Consortium
We foster partnerships between academics, policymakers, and practitioners, through in-person and online events and opportunities to network and engage.
TEACHING
Teaching & Learning
The Democratic Erosion Consortium offers a semester-long standardized university course on democratic erosion, making the syllabus, readings and collaborative assignments accessible to any faculty member around the world. We will soon be launching an online Democratic Erosion Short Course aimed at policymakers and practitioners.
DATASET
Understanding Trends in Democratic Erosion
The Democratic Erosion Event Dataset (DEED) tracks discrete events related to democratic erosion and autocratic consolidation across countries and over time, providing valuable insights into the process of democratic erosion around the world.
Briefs
Democratic Erosion Evidence Briefs (DEE-Briefs)
DEE-Briefs aim to increase the accessibility, usefulness, and responsiveness of existing evidence for policymakers, practitioners, the media, and the broader public.
Student Blog
Democratic Erosion Course Student Blog
Read our students’ insightful analysis of current events and democratic backsliding.
The Digital Divide: Social Media’s Role in Polarization and Democratic Backsliding
It was a week after Donald Trump won the US 2024 Presidential Election. My little sister texted me frantically: “Mom keeps accusing Dad of voting for Trump. She can’t get off TikTok… She’s...
Addressing the coup-demic: Why Regime Change Matters for Democratic Erosion
On the very first day of my “Democratic Erosion” seminar, I voiced my unease about the state of democracy in the Sahel—a region currently experiencing an unprecedented wave of political instability....
The Power of the Young: A New Era of Democracy for Bangladesh
Throughout Bangladesh’s history and into the present, student- and youth-led movements have spearheaded efforts to influence political change. Examples like the 1969 revolt against Pakistani...
How the European Union Facilitates Democratic Erosion At Home
Protecting and fostering democracy has been a cornerstone of the European Union project since its founding. Yet the recent rise of antidemocratic regimes in countries like Poland and Hungary has...
Can “Asia’s Trump” Make a Political Comeback?
He used methods of intimidation and subverted the rule of law to attack his political enemies. He played the “strong man” to weaken institutional mechanisms and checks against his authority. He...
Cash for Votes: How Pervasive Clientelism Undermines India’s Democracy
“All elected leaders buy votes. Even children know that” (NPR). This is how governance in India is viewed by many of its citizens: a system that is democratic in name, with duly elected leaders, but...
The Democratic Erosion Consortium is grateful for support from:
