The erosion of democracy in many countries: what should be group work’s response?

ABSTRACT

In this paper we describe democracy and evidence of its erosion globally and in the US. Specific concerns about the erosion of democratic values are discussed, and how this erosion manifests in group behaviors. We call on group work to consider how the global expansion of repressive policies and practices that empower privileged and the elite impact group member participation, especially members of targeted minority groups. Through examples we demonstrate ways group work practice can champion the protection of all member voices, and preserve a structure and mechanisms that model such protections for all its participants.

KEYWORDS:

• Erosion
• democracy
• dictatorship
• global
• liberal
• impoverished
• citizenship
• immigrant rights
• politics
• diversity
• social justice
• group work

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. The Bertelsmann Stiftung’s Transformation Index (BTI) “analyzes and evaluates whether and how developing countries and countries in transition are steering social change toward democracy and a market economy” (https://www.bti-project.org/en/index/methodology/).