The Defense of Democracy

Democracy around the world is under assault and the Americas are no exception. While traditional military coups in the region have declined, democratic backsliding, executive overreach, and election manipulation remain a challenge. These threats to democracy require understanding not only the domestic political institutions across the Americas, but also how undemocratic actors have changed their methods of threatening democracy.

 

Understanding these challenges is only part of Adam’s work. Scholars and policymakers must move from diagnosing the problem to identifying and strengthening mechanisms to effectively address threats to democracy. Adam has written about domestic and international mechanisms—both through bilateral relations and through regional forums—that can be leveraged to address the democratic challenges facing the Americas.

 

Ratzlaff’s dissertation (in progress) focuses on how action and inaction on the part of the Organization of American States shapes norms around undemocratic actions and provides insights on how to strengthen the Inter-American Defense of Democracy Regime to address evolving threats to democracy.