Democracy

Democracy research and scholarship.

American flag waving on a sunny autumn day on the University of Notre Dame campus. The quad, crisscrossed by walkways, and several campus buildings are visible in the background.

Video

Notre Dame's Democracy Initiative

The Notre Dame Democracy Initiative will establish the University as a leader in the study of democracy both in the United States and worldwide, as a convener for conversations.

The dome of the U.S. Capitol building, framed by green trees against a blue sky with white clouds.

Article

Are we social media's puppets?

Peacebuilder Lisa Schirch believes better tech platforms can bolster democracy.

Silhouetted hands control a wooden puppet with strings. The background is sharply divided, blue on the left and red on the right, with the puppet centered on the color line, illuminated by both hues.

Podcast

Women's suffrage and political Barbies

In the first episode we drop in on political science professor Christina Wolbrecht. She's co-authored a book titled, “A Century of Votes for Women,” which looks at how women have used their right to vote in the hundred years since the 19th Amendment was passed.

Three Polaroid-style photos on a wall. Left: Vintage Barbie for President doll box. Center: 2016 President and VP Barbie set. Right: Framed suffrage poster stating, No man is good enough to govern any woman without her consent.
  1. Two US flags wave on poles with the white-domed US Capitol Building centered in the background surrounded by green trees.

    News

    Why voting ‘neither’ could harm American democracy

    What is one of the greatest threats to American democracy? According to a recent study from the University of Notre Dame, voters who neither agree nor disagree when asked about substantive issues relevant to upholding democracy might be the largest group to blame for democratic decline in the United States. These “democratic...

  3. A man in a blue windowpane suit and striped tie speaks expressively while leaning on a wooden lectern in a classroom.

    Video

    ND:30 - Derek Muller

    Free and fair elections are the backbone of democracy, and election law expert Derek Muller knows how fragile they can be. Watching contested elections unfold inspired him to study the rules, in legislation and courtroom decisions, that ensure voters can freely and fairly select their representatives.

  5. Snow-dusted Sacred Heart of Jesus statue with arms outstretched, seen from the back. Behind it, Notre Dame's Golden Dome Main Building and snow-covered trees are under a bright blue sky. (Main Quad on a snowy morning)

    News

    Notre Dame partners with Harvard, UC Riverside to improve civics education

    The University of Notre Dame will partner with the University of California, Riverside (UCR) and Harvard University to improve civics education in U.S. schools in an effort to strengthen democracy. The UCR-led Civic Engagement Research Group will receive $600,000 in grants for its Civic Impact Project to complete the research,...

  8. Black blocks with white lettering spell

    News

    ‘Prebunking’ false election claims may boost trust in elections

    In recent years, democracies worldwide have seen a growing erosion of trust in election outcomes and institutions, driven in part by fears of widespread fraud. New Notre Dame research finds that “prebunking” — providing accurate information before false claims spread — boosts trust in elections more effectively than traditional fact-checking.

  9. The United States Capitol Building, with its white dome and columns, stands majestically on a sunny day with a bright blue sky and puffy white clouds. A neatly mown green lawn slopes down in the foreground. A U.S. flag flies at half-staff.

    News

    Open-access database offers insights into U.S. congressional candidates

    Each election cycle, thousands of candidates vie for seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Until now, there has been no comprehensive, publicly available resource cataloging what those candidates say about who they are or what they stand for. A new open-access database called CampaignView, created by researchers...

  11. Cropped view of a statue of Justice with the scales of law and order.

    Article

    Defending democracy

    Kellogg visiting fellows work towards justice in their native countries

  12. An aerial view of two churches, one blue and white, the other white and light blue, standing amongst the ruins of other buildings. The white and light blue church is heavily damaged with its roof caved in and rubble surrounding its base. The blue and white church appears intact with a bright blue tarp covering sections of its roof.

    Article

    Fighting for our cultural heritage

    Two Notre Dame professors equip Ukrainian students to identify, record, and preserve their culture in the midst of war.

Discover and engage
  1. Focused woman in beige jacket, glasses, and headset, looking up while using a computer mouse. Man works at nearby station.

    Podcast

    Inside Artemis II mission control

    For seven hours, Notre Dame alumna Kelsey Young ’09 sat in NASA mission control, listening as astronauts described the Moon in real time from a vantage point no human had ever experienced before.

  2. Hesburgh Library's Word of Life mosaic under a blue sky, framed by vibrant purple tulips and a blossoming yellow tree.

    Photo Essay

    Spring at last!

    The month in photos, April 2026

  3. A woman in a navy blue shirt helps a young girl wearing glasses assemble wooden craft pieces.

    Article

    25 years of impact in South Bend

    The Robinson Community Learning Center stands as a lasting symbol of trust, partnership, and shared purpose between Notre Dame and its closest neighbors.

  4. The bronze sculpture Desert Rose by Arnaldo Pomodoro is placed at the center of the ecological greenhouse at the Gardens of Castel Gandolfo. The curved glass structure—covered with solar panels—frames the work within a light-filled, sustainable environment. Stone pathways and carefully trimmed hedges unfold beneath a canopy of Mediterranean pines.

    Article

    Sowing seeds of hope: Vatican partnership advances global sustainability

    The collaboration supports research, education, and action to build a more just, sustainable future.

  5. Broadly smiling woman with dark hair in a navy jacket with gold buttons, arms crossed, in front of bookshelves.

    Podcast

    What happened to the American family?

    The American family has changed dramatically over the past four decades, raising urgent questions about marriage, economic stability, and child well-being.

  6. Statue of Sacred Heart of Jesus, two lit candles, surrounded by worn black and brown shoes and scattered red tokens on wood.

    Article

    A saint of our own?

    The humble piety of Notre Dame cobbler Brother Columba inspires a canonization push.

  7. Golden Dome and Basilica of the Sacred Heart silhouetted against a red and orange sunset, reflected in a Notre Dame lake.

    Photo Essay

    A model March

    Semester in full swing, snow, sun, fun, madness, and mulch.

  8. Congregation and clergy gather at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart with a purple banner and white-draped coffin.

    Photo Essay

    Remembrance and appreciation

    Lou Holtz, 1937–2026

  9. Smiling man with gray hair wearing a navy blazer, light blue dress shirt, and blue striped tie with orange accents, seated in a conference room with artwork and a monitor visible in the blurred background.

    Article

    A dignity movement

    2026 Laetare Medalist Timothy Shriver