Violent Threats to Democratic Systems

This program responds to a growing global concern - the increasing use of violence, intimidation, and recrimination as political tools in systems once thought to be resistant to such pressures.

Across many democracies, a disturbing pattern is emerging: the line between democratic competition and political violence is blurring, with polarization and violence increasingly shaping political behavior and governance.

In a growing number of democratic societies, state-sponsored or tolerated political violence is becoming a visible and dangerous feature of political life.

The democratic promise of participation, accountability, and peaceful transfer of power is being undermined by deepening identity conflicts, rising authoritarian tendencies, and the erosion of civic norms not only at the edges of societies but increasingly within their core institutions.

This program seeks to understand these evolving risks by investigating how and when democratic systems shift into "hybrid democracies"—systems that retain the formal structures of democracy while exhibiting the dysfunction and coercive practices more often associated with authoritarian regimes.

These hybrid systems are especially vulnerable to violence as a means of resolving political disputes, consolidating power, and marginalizing opposition.

Through cross-national research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and ongoing dialogue, the program creates space for deep, cross-national dialogue that explores not only what drives political violence but also how democratic societies can strengthen their capacity to uphold democratic norms, ensure accountability, and protect open civic space in the face of these challenges.