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. 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.

  3. 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,...

  5. A smiling man with glasses, wearing a navy coat and red sweater, sits on rugged stone steps with black railings. The Basilica of the Sacred Heart rises behind autumn trees in the background.

    News

    A nontraditional path to academia: The journey of a Mexican practitioner

    When Alejandro González Ruiz arrived in Georgia in November 2020 to coordinate the Organization of American States' Electoral Observation Mission, he was stepping into one of the most contentious electoral moments in recent U.S. history. Today, that experience guides his doctoral research at the University of Notre Dame, where the...

  6. Black blocks with white lettering spell

    News

    ‘Prebunking’ false election claims may boost trust in elections

    Brian Fogarty, associate professor of the practice at the Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society and concurrent associate professor of the practice in the Department of Political Science. (Photo by Barbara Johnston/University of Notre Dame) In recent years, democracies worldwide have seen a growing erosion of trust in election...

  7. 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

    U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Barbara Johnston/University of Notre Dame) 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...

  9. 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

  10. 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.

  12. Mc 10

    News

    US senators call for engagement and bipartisanship to overcome polarization

    University of Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., convened a fireside chat on Friday (Oct. 27) with U.S. Sens. Chris Coons and Todd Young on the importance of civic engagement and bipartisanship to overcome polarization and gridlock. The conversation was part of the 2023-24 Notre Dame Forum...

Discover and engage
  1. Broadly smiling woman with dark hair in a navy jacket with gold buttons, arms crossed, in front of bookshelves.

    Podcast

    What happened to the traditional American family?

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

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. Smiling older man with short gray hair wearing a gray blazer and light blue shirt, set against a deep blue background overlaid with colorful financial candlestick chart graphics in teal, pink, and red.

    Podcast

    How do you measure success?

    Mendoza professor Joe Holt joins Jenna Liberto to talk purpose-driven goals, meaningful work, and redefining success.

  7. Students and three priests in white vestments gather for a night mass around a lit snow chapel and altar, snow-covered Sorin Hall in background.

    Photo Essay

    Between winter and spring

    The month in photos, February 2026

  8. Side-by-side black and white portraits. On the left, a man with wavy hair and a patterned blazer is shown in a grainy halftone style. On the right, Father Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C., in a clerical collar, looks thoughtfully to the left.

    Article

    The press vs. the power

    Observer founder Robert Sam Anson had a contentious yet strong relationship with ND President Father Hesburgh.

  9. A woman with short dark hair smiles slightly while looking off-camera. She wears a brown, fleece-lined winter jacket. In the background, snow rests on dried plants in front of a tan brick wall.

    Podcast

    Cold plunges and unicorns

    Anthropologist Cara Ocobock reveals what extreme cold reveals about our bodies and human resilience, and why hunting a “unicorn” is harder than it looks.