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. 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, which will measure the effectiveness of civics education curricula used in the U.S.

  4. 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.

  5. 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 at the University of Notre Dame, offers researchers, journalists and educators a powerful tool to understand congressional elections.

  7. 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

  8. 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.

  9. The U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., against a blue sky with soft clouds.

    News

    Essays on democracy draw attention to critical threats, explore safeguards ahead of Jan. 6

    Shortly after Jan. 6, 2021, when a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol building, Notre Dame’s Rooney Center for the Study of American Democracy established the January 6th, 2025, Project, which includes 10 Notre Dame faculty who are preeminent scholars of democracy. In an effort to understand the social, political, psychological and demographic factors that led to that troublesome day, the group created a collection of 14 essays aimed at drawing attention to the vulnerabilities in our democratic system and the threats building against it, hoping to create consensus on ways to remedy both problems. 

Discover and engage
  1. 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.

  2. A snow-covered parking lot at the University of Notre Dame. Dozens of cars are buried under thick mounds of white snow, with one yellow Jeep featuring an ND logo on the spare tire cover visible amidst the winter landscape.

    Photo Essay

    Plunging into winter

    The month in photos, January 2026

  3. A wooden mannequin is manipulated like a marionette by two large, silhouetted hands from above. The background is divided vertically down the center into solid blue and red sections, symbolizing themes of control and political polarization.

    Article

    Are we social media's puppets?

    Peacebuilder Lisa Schirch believes better tech platforms can bolster democracy.

  4. Aerial view of the University of Notre Dame campus covered in snow at sunset. The Golden Dome and Basilica of the Sacred Heart spire stand against a vibrant orange sky above snow-dusted rooftops and a central quad with intersecting walkways.

    Article

    Sustainers of hope: How Notre Dame pursued breakthroughs for a world in need in 2025

    The year in review.

  5. A bright lightning bolt flashes down behind the dark spire of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and the illuminated Golden Dome of Notre Dame's Main Building under a grey, stormy sky.

    Photo Essay

    25 images of 2025

    From the changing built environment to the changing seasons, every one of the 365 days of 2025 looked different.

  6. Snowy winter night at the University of Notre Dame. The Golden Dome of the Main Building and the spire of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart glow, surrounded by warm lights and a blue-lit Christmas tree.

    Video

    Merry Christmas from Notre Dame

  7. A smiling woman with glasses and brown hair pulled back stands in front of a dark blue background with abstract white digital lines and binary code.

    Podcast

    A human-centered framework for AI ethics

    In this episode, Meghan Sullivan explains the DELTA framework, a human-centered approach to AI ethics—and why the choices we make today will define how this powerful technology shapes our future.

  8. Aerial view of a red and organge sunset over the skyline of the Notre Dame campus

    Photo Essay

    A blend of seasons

    The month in photos, November 2025

  9. Aerial view of the classical, domed former Gary City Hall building with a 'Welcome to Gary' sign on the front lawn.

    Article

    Fighting for community regeneration

    Gary, Indiana, has been a song lyric, a cultural hub, a stigma, a city to rush past, but now it is poised to revitalize, thanks in part to Notre Dame's School of Architecture.