Institutionalizing Barriers to Mobilizing Democracy

As political discussion in the United States becomes increasingly concerned with strengthening democracy abroad and assuring the accuracy and legitimacy of elections at home, the need for knowledge about the political conditions necessary for founding and sustaining democracy could not be more crucial. With support from the Foundation, Margaret Levi of the University of Washington, James D. Johnson of the University of Rochester, Jack Knight of Washington University in St. Louis, and Susan Stokes of the University of Chicago will organize three working groups to research these issues. The first, “Drawing Lines of Representation,” will deal with the geography of political constituencies and how the drawing of electoral districts influences the vibrancy of a democracy. The second working group will deal with disenfranchisement and barriers to citizen participation. The third group will examine the mechanics of voting, studying the success of different voting technologies and of voter education campaigns. The groups will produce papers and meet at the Foundation to discuss drafts for an edited volume.