Kellogg & the Democracy Initiatives

About

With its 40-year history of excellence in the study of global democracy, the Kellogg Institute for International Studies is a pillar of both the Notre Dame Democracy Initiative and the Democracy, Governance, Institutions and Rights program of the Keough School of Global Affairs.

As part of its 2023-2033 Strategic Framework, the University established the campus-wide Notre Dame Democracy Initiative to address the increasing challenges to the state of democracy at home and abroad. The Initiative seeks to establish the university as a leader in the study of democracy both in the US and worldwide, as a convenor for conversations about and actions to preserve democracy, and as a model for the formation of civically engaged citizens and public servants. Bridging research, education, and policy work across campus, the Initiative also extends beyond campus to policymakers and federal agencies in Washington, DC.

These university goals parallel one of four core research programs established by the Keough School of Global Affairs through its Strategic Plan 2030. This Democracy, Governance, Institutions and Rights program seeks to examine local and global threats to democracy and explore how best to build and support effective states, expand political participation, strengthen the rule of law, improve the protection of human and civil rights, and enhance cooperation across national borders. 

In the name of promoting global democracy as part of the Keough School and the University of Notre Dame, the Kellogg Institute is leading efforts to build on its strong academic foundation. The institute is hiring new faculty with democracy expertise (including two junior faculty members to be brought on in 2024-25), promoting two visiting fellowships annually to scholars working on global democracy, and funding five PhD students for the study of democracy, starting with one scholarship in 2025. 

Kellogg is also leading efforts on campus to engage students and faculty on campus and abroad in discussions about global democracy with conferences and other events, including “Global Democracy at Risk: Why it Matters and What Can Be Done,” “Four Decades of the Third Wave of Democratization in Latin America,” “The 40th Anniversary of Argentina's Democracy,” and “Dinner and Dialogue with the OAS Secretary for Strengthening Democracy” in the 2023-24 academic year. 

These events lead up to the Global Democracy Conference, May 20-22, 2024, on the campus of Notre Dame. Planned as an annual event, the conference will be comprised of roundtable discussions about topics related to the state of democracy in the world, featuring public scholars, journalists, religious and business leaders, and policymakers; academic panels showcasing new research initiatives at Notre Dame and other top research universities; and meetings of leaders in civil society, religion, business, and politics to envision how to confront challenges to democracy.