The Role of Security Bureaucracies in Democratic Backsliding

• In Event: Roundtable: Democratic Regression in Security Governance in Developing Countries

Abstract

Security bureaucracies play a pivotal role in shaping state power. They have become central actors in democratic backsliding. This paper investigates the structural and institutional mechanisms through which security bureaucracies facilitate authoritarian entrenchment. It examines how these entities are shielded from civilian oversight and often align with ruling elites to preserve power structures. The research highlights the importance of democratic control over security institutions, and the dangers posed by opaque, unaccountable structures.

Authors

• Mutlu Koseli, Chicago State University

• Ali Ozdogan, Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania