The Fall 2025 CIPR Speaker Series addresses the systematic erosion of democratic institutions worldwide, a phenomenon that has accelerated significantly in recent years. Global assessments indicate that democratic backsliding has reduced worldwide democratic levels to those last observed in 1996, reversing two decades of democratic progress (V-Dem, 2025). This series brings together four distinguished scholars whose research examines the mechanisms through which countries gradually but systematically undermine democratic norms and institutions. The presentations will offer cutting-edge insights into the processes, patterns, and consequences of contemporary democratic erosion, contributing to our understanding of one of the most pressing challenges facing comparative politics today.