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 that has been offered at more than 75 universities around the world.
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.
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.
“Unleashed” – Boris Johnson’s Populist Reincarnation
On October 10th, 2024 I ordered the freshly released Boris Johnson memoir, Unleashed (Croft,2024). None of my relatives or friends from the UK, nor any of my classmates, paid any attention to this...
Why Estonia’s decision to disenfranchise non-EU citizens is doing more harm than good
On the 26 of March, the Estonian parliament (the Riigikogu) passed a constitutional amendment to remove the rights to vote in local elections for non-EU residents (Kangro, 2025). This was sparked by...
Democratic Backsliding or Payback to the Democrats? Unpacking Yoon’s Presidency in South Korea
In April 2025, South Korea’s Constitutional Court unanimously confirmed the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol, officially removing him from office after he attempted to impose martial law on...
Ballots and Bullets: How Political Violence Is Undermining Democracy in Mexico
Ballots and Bullets: How Political Violence Is Undermining Democracy in Mexico In 2024, Mexico held one of the largest and most consequential elections in its recent history—electing over 20,000...
Anti-Government Protests and Democratic Erosion in Slovakia
Anti-Government Protests and Democratic Erosion in Slovakia In its 2025 report, Transparency International highlighted Slovakia as a "country to watch”, noting that the reforms implemented by Prime...
How tolerating and encouraging violence fuels democratic backsliding in Georgia
How tolerating and encouraging violence fuels democratic backsliding in Georgia During the past few months, the streets of Tbilisi—the capital of Georgia—have been constantly...
The Democratic Erosion Consortium is grateful for support from:
