Democratic Backsliding - La Recaída Democrática

Catalog description

A major challenge in the world today is the erosion of democracy. After a steady process of democratization, starting with the Spanish transition to democracy at the end of 1975, many countries have experienced an erosion in the quality of the safeguards in their electoral processes; populist parties and leaders have taken over with little respect for the rules of the democratic game; and the rule of law has become threatened by organized crime, deficient citizen security provision, and weak judicial institutions and procedures. This problem of democratic backsliding is particularly evident in Latin America, even though it is occurring in many countries in Europe, as well as in the United States. This course provides a comparative and historical perspective on the threat to democracy, providing an understanding of the complex set of institutional constraints and political equilibria on which democratic rule depends.