Topics in Development: Democratic Backsliding and the Demise of Democracy

Democratic backsliding occurs when democratically elected leaders undermine the very institutions established to ensure their accountability. Today, roughly one-third of the global population lives in a country that was once a well-functioning democracy but is now experiencing a decline in the fairness of elections, the independence of courts, and the respect of minority rights. This course familiarizes students with the democratic backsliding literature and discusses how public policy may alleviate the risk of democratic backsliding in the United States, Brazil, India and Poland.