The contemporary crisis of democracy in the United States and around the globe has been long in the making. Scholars from across the academy including political scientists have identified a number of factors that have contributed to this crisis, including neoliberalism, the culture wars and increasing polarization, globalization, economic inequality, an erosion of commitments to citizenship and the public good, political entrepreneurs who mobilize religious and nationalist groups around traditional values, racism, and new media platforms. As this virtual issue indicates, political scientists as represented by our three APSA journals have analyzed many of these factors, but much work remains to better comprehend the conflict and violence associated with populism and democratic backsliding. We welcome submissions on these important topics.