Introduction
The Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) is one of the 15 Organized Research
Units (ORU) established and funded by the University of California, Irvine.
The Center fosters academic research and education to provide a better understanding
of the democratic process, and the steps that may strength democracy at home
and abroad. The faculty and students of the Center study both democratizing
nations and the expansion of the democratic process in the United States and
other Western democracies. The Center hosts research conferences, sponsors
faculty research, publishes a research paper series, and facilitates research
and teaching on democratic themes.
The Center began as a UCI Focused Research Program in 1990. It is a collegium of several dozen scholars from the University of California system and internationally who are actively engaged in research related to the theme of democratization and democratic politics. The program includes faculty from UC Irvine, UC San Diego, UCLA, UC Riverside, and several international associates. The Center is also a member of The Network of Democracy Research Institutes. The Network was established to facilitate contacts among democracy scholars and activists and to promote a greater awareness of the diversity and vitality of democracy studies today.
In 1995 the National Science Foundation selected UCI to establish a Graduate Research Traineeship on Democratization and Democratic Politics. University, foundation and philanthropic support has continued this graduate education through the Democracy Fellows program. The formal coursework and faculty mentorship of the training program draw upon faculty of the Center and build upon its present research and educational activities. In addition, graduate fellows in the training program participate in the research activities of the Center and Center faculty.