Democratic Challenges

Distrust in representative democratic institutions and the rise of illiberal and antidemocratic political actors show how much democracy is under pressure. At the same time, there is also a call for more democracy in civil society, including for more direct and participatory forms that can realise the democratic ideal.

The York Centre for Political Theory is one of the strongest centre for the study of democratic challenges. Our members are interested in a variety of pressing topics, including the role of experts in democracy, parties and partisans, representative democracy, democratic backsliding, and political competition.