Short Course: Is Democracy in Danger?

Democracy is often treated as something stable, secure and permanent. But what happens when trust collapses?

Across three weeks, students will explore some of the forces putting modern democracy under pressure, from populism and political apathy to misinformation, protest and political violence.

Why do people lose faith in democratic institutions? Can misinformation change the outcome of elections? When does protest strengthen democracy, and when can it threaten it? And are democratic systems really as resilient as we like to think?

Each session will challenge students to question how democracy works, who holds power and what happens when citizens stop believing in the system itself.

Three weeks. Big questions. Democracy under pressure.