Max Planck Center for Democracy, Security, and Human Rights
The Center for Democracy, Security and Human Rights is a joint enterprise of the MPI for the Study of Crime, Security and Law, the Minerva Center for Human Rights, and the Faculty of Law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. It emerged during a time of war and political instability, as democracy is under pressure across the globe. The Center’s vision is to advance our understanding of democratic values and their protection in challenging circumstances. Two components set it apart. First, the time, the place, and the context in which this program is situated lend it special significance. The Center will explore and develop ideas about democracy at a time when it is most contested, and ask hard questions about international and domestic security when the stakes are at their highest. Second, the Center brings together experts in democracy and security law under one roof. Research on the topics of security and human rights is currently divided, and questions that concern both values are often only partially addressed. The Center views these fields of knowledge as complementary. Owing to its collaborative structure and mandates, its overriding goal is to provide a richer and more comprehensive understanding of the complex and dynamic relationships between security, democracy, and human rights.