Democracy faces an existential crisis, with widespread public dissatisfaction (see Global Satisfaction with Democracy 2020) and the rise of authoritarian regimes ‘characterized by increasing executive power, erosion of democratic norms, and a general tendency toward less freedom’ (Democracy Report 2021). More than a hundred American scholars of democracy released a ‘Statement of Concern’, declaring that the ‘future of American democracy’ was ‘fundamentally at stake’ while international support for China’s authoritarian model has strengthened. If the US or EU countries elect a competent authoritarian to a leading position it is possible that effective democracy could be extinguished within a decade.

Universities are among the few institutions with the capacity, freedom and respect to equip people with the abilities to make democracy work better, both through their own provision and by working with civil society, as you are doing. This Research Topic aims to show why and how they can do it, drawing on experience and research from across the world.

The goal of the current Research Topic is to show why universities need to take an active role in promoting learning for democracy, share examples from practice, set the agenda for action research into education to strengthen democracy, and influence university leaders to invest in growing provision.

The Collection welcomes articles that address these themes, such as among others:

• Evidence to support the case for universities to take an active role in promoting learning for democracy;
• Case studies of courses, provision, and institutional approaches to strengthening provision with evidence of impact;
• Methods for the development, delivery, and evaluation of provision;
• Commentary/insights into the challenges of education for democracy and how to overcome them; and
• Commentary/reflections on action research into education to strengthen democracy.

We are seeking contributions from academics and practitioners whose work bridges the divide between university and the community and thus we encourage authors to submit up to 3000 words’ pieces on evidence, case studies, methods, or commentary with scope for one or two more substantial papers of up to 8,000 reviewing the field, providing a perspective or conceptual analysis that will inform action and help to increase provision.

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Frontiers in Political Science

Participating Journals

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Impact