Michael A. Dichio, “Stewards, defenders, progenitors, and collaborators: Courts in the age of democratic decline.” Law and Policy, vol. 47, no. 1 (2025): e12251.
Summary: In this introductory essay to the special issue of Law & Policy, “Global Perspectives on Judicial Politics and Democratic Backsliding,” Dichio critically examines the paradoxical role of courts during episodes of democratic backsliding. Despite operating without direct democratic accountability—relying instead on legal precedents and doctrinal interpretations—courts are pivotal in defending democratic integrity during episodes of backsliding.