The world is witnessing unprecedented threats to democracy. The financial crisis of 2007 exposed deep vulnerabilities in democratic institutions, leading to a wave of populist movements and the rise of authoritarian regimes.
Yet amid this uncertainty, a powerful wave of grassroots activism has surged, with people mobilizing across the world to confront pressing issues such as economic inequality, climate change, systemic racism, gender injustice and the ongoing struggle for human rights.
UC Berkeley Social Sciences recently launched the Global Democracy Commons program at this inflection point to harness the power of academic research and scholarship to help strengthen democracy. The program is a groundbreaking initiative designed to support and reimagine democracy for the 21st century. As the geopolitical landscape faces increasing strain — from rising authoritarianism to the erosion of democratic values — the program offers an urgent and timely intervention.
"The Global Democracy Commons is designed to help support work that fosters and reimagines forms of activism and democratic politics," said History Professor James Vernon, who leads the program. "Our goal is to bridge the gap between academic ideas and everyday democratic practices, making them both stronger in the process."
Global Democracy Commons will provide a platform for scholars, activists and communities to collaborate on expanding our understanding of democracy beyond the traditional focus on institutions and elections.
"This new program reflects Social Sciences' commitment to both rigorous academic inquiry and public discourse around the most important issues of our time," Berkeley Social Sciences Dean Raka Ray said. "Global Democracy Commons is about shaping the future of democracy by creating spaces where a multitude of voices can come together to envision new democratic practices."
Commons and labs
Unlike many academic programs that focus solely on creating and disseminating knowledge, the Global Democracy Commons aims to facilitate a two-way conversation.
It will provide a site where models of democratic politics are made freely available to anyone across the world, bridging the gap between academic ideas and everyday democratic practices. At the heart of this approach is the creation of a "Commons" — a shared space where models of democratic politics are made freely available to anyone across the world.
The program is anchored by three innovative research labs, each designed to tackle a different dimension of democracy.
Two labs — Fostering Democratic Elections in Diverse Societies and Democracy Dialogues — are carrying out research programs that study election data. The Fostering Democratic Elections in Diverse Societies lab, developed by The Center on Contemporary India at the Institute for South Asia Studies (led by Political Science Professors Jennifer Russell and Alison Post) will examine challenges facing election administration in India. The Democracy Dialogues lab, developed by the Democracy and Media Lab at the Latinx Research Center (led by Dance and Theater Professor Angela Marino), will focus on democratic practices in Guatemala.
The third lab (led by Sociology Professor Ricarda Hammer) consists of faculty and graduate students from sociology and African American Studies working to recover forgotten anti-colonial forms of democratic ideas and practices that developed in the Caribbean.
The labs are not isolated academic entities, but rather collaborative spaces where faculty, graduate students and undergraduates work in conjunction with scholars, activists and community members both locally and globally. This interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral approach ensures a rich diversity of perspectives and experiences informing the research.
In addition to the labs, the Commons has a Scholars at Risk program, which will allow two visiting scholars from Russia, Ilya Matveev and Ilya Budraitskis(link is external), to collaborate with Anthropology Professor Alexei Yurchak and Sociology Professor Dylan Riley on a podcast that explores opposition to authoritarianism in Russia and around the world.
A human endeavor
At its core, the Global Democracy Commons is about reclaiming democracy as a deeply human endeavor. Too often, democracy is reduced to institutions or procedures — elections, parliaments and policies. But the real story of democracy is the story of people: their struggles, their aspirations and their determination to create a more just and equitable world.
The program acknowledges the deep historical connections between democracy and complex issues such as slavery, imperialism, patriarchy and environmental destruction. By confronting these issues, the Global Democracy Commons imagines new pathways toward a democracy that truly empowers people to shape their futures.
In recognizing democracy as a human story, the program is committed to making the study and practice of democracy more relevant, inclusive and transformative. It seeks to inspire action, challenge injustice and equip individuals with the tools to participate meaningfully in democratic life.
As democratic ideals come under increasing pressure, the Global Democracy Commons offers a powerful and hopeful vision for the future. By connecting academic research with real-world activism and creating a global space for democratic experimentation, the program aims to inspire new forms of democratic politics that can rise to the challenges of our time.
Open to all
The program is open to everyone in the UC Berkeley community. Undergraduates can engage with the program through classes and research apprenticeships, while graduate students can collaborate on research projects alongside faculty members. The program's labs provide opportunities for faculty leadership and interdisciplinary cooperation.
Without requiring the creation of a new degree program, the Global Democracy Commons enriches the educational experience of students and expands their understanding of democracy, activism and political engagement. The five-year duration of the program allows for deep engagement with these important topics.
The impact of the Global Democracy Commons extends beyond Berkeley. Scholars, activists and community members around the world are invited to participate, contribute to and benefit from the shared knowledge and resources the Commons provides. This global network ensures that the program's reach transcends the campus, creating a truly inclusive and far-reaching democratic movement.
Looking ahead, the program is hosting two events this Fall: The first examines why universities around the world are being targeted to restrict the rights of protesters, free speech and academic freedom. The second (to be held after the U.S. election) focuses on understanding the social and political forces that have made 2024 such a momentous year for democratic elections around the world. It examines how world events allow us to understand the challenges of the American election and the fragility of our democracy as part of a global set of processes.
More details will be available on the Global Democracy Commons website: https://demos.berkeley.edu/(link is external)