Can AI make democracy fairer?
Democracy in ancient Athens looked quite different from democracies today. Instead of elections, most offices—including those in the legislature, governing councils, and magistrates—were filled by citizen volunteers, selected by random lottery. T.....»»
Report: Political violence threatens health of US democracy
Political violence is eroding the overall health of democracy in the United States, according to more than 100 global scholars surveyed for a new report......»»
In person or online? Researchers find people"s stated support for democracy depends on how they"re asked
Americans may be less satisfied with U.S. democracy than previously thought and new survey methods may have something to do with that disconnect, according to researchers at Georgia State University......»»
How Europe"s authoritarian populists maintain the illusion of a free press
Authoritarian leaders might be good at damaging democracy, but unless they are pure dictators they often still need to worry about winning elections. In the last few years, Europe has seen the rise of a number of authoritarian populists who rely on w.....»»
Can public financing for political campaigns affect voter participation?
Policies that provide public financing for political campaigns have gained popularity in the United States. One example is the Democracy Vouchers program that was implemented in Seattle, Washington in 2017 to potentially reduce candidates' reliance o.....»»
Q&A: Israel"s democracy protests—what happens next?
The massive pro-democracy protests that shook Israel since January 2023, when its right-wing government introduced so-called "judicial reforms," have quieted down for a while. The country's legislature is on a break. But the government headed by Benj.....»»
Re-imagining democracy for the 21st century, possibly without the trappings of the 18th century
Imagine that we've all—all of us, all of society—landed on some alien planet, and we have to form a government: clean slate. We don't have any legacy systems from the U.S. or any other country. We don't have any special or unique interests to per.....»»
Data suggest holding Trump accountable will not threaten American democracy
With a Fulton County indictment of former President Donald Trump possible at any time, law enforcement in Atlanta is bracing for potential violence, with orange barricades restricting access to the entrance of the county courthouse......»»
When mafia threatens democracy: Research shows ordinary people are less honest in countries hit by organized crime
Organized crime casts a long shadow, driving violence and an illicit economy. But our research, published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, has uncovered some more subtle dimensions to its influence, too. We've found that o.....»»
Carbon taxes that focus on luxury consumption are fairer than those that tax all emissions equally: Study
Not all carbon emissions are made for the same reason—they range from more essential purposes like heating a home to nonessential "luxury" activities like leisure travel. However, proposals for the implementations of carbon taxes tend to apply to a.....»»
Q&A: Democracy means different things to different people
Texas A&M University Professor Dr. Kirby Goidel reflects on the "march of democracy" as America's 247th birthday nears. A professor of political science in the Bush School of Government and Public Service, Goidel studies democratic governance......»»
Canada is going to war with Google, and it might not win
The country is the latest front in a fight that analysts say has big stakes for news - and democracy......»»
Can Canada make big tech pay for news?
The country is the latest front in a fight that analysts say has big stakes for news - and democracy......»»
Weakening democracy linked to rising deaths, study finds
Voting rights have come under scrutiny across the United States in recent years, with multiple cases before the Supreme Court this session. A new study by Syracuse University researchers suggests the issue has implications beyond politics. The study,.....»»
How AI Could Take Over Elections--And Undermine Democracy
An AI-driven political campaign could be all things to all people.....»»
We"ve already breached most of the Earth"s limits—a safer, fairer future means treading lightly
People once believed the planet could always accommodate us. That the resilience of the Earth system meant nature would always provide. But we now know this is not necessarily the case. As big as the world is, our impact is bigger......»»
New study highlights importance of democratic norms and learning about the other party
For the past few years, American democracy has been perceived as backsliding. Politicians' refusal to accept election results despite a lack of evidence of fraud, the violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and state-level restrictions on voting acc.....»»
Study: False assumptions about election malfeasance could create a "death spiral" for democracy
In October 2020, two rival candidates for office in Utah made an unusual television ad together. Incumbent Republican Gov. Spencer Cox and his Democratic challenger, Chris Peterson, appeared in the same spot to note they were both "dedicated to the A.....»»
Our Shifting Understanding of Democracy Is Fueling Populism and Culture Wars
As with climate change, adverse changes in democratic practices require societal adaptation to avoid the worst scenarios.....»»
Study: People think undermining democracy is ok if others do it first
Merely thinking the other guys wreck democracy raises support for wrecking democracy. Enlarge (credit: Douglas Rissing) Many Americans have been shocked by the frequency with which people who claim to love our democracy.....»»
Understanding what democracy means proves key to supporting it, study finds
Winston Churchill famously said, "Democracy is the worst form of government—except for all those other forms that have been tried.".....»»