Distinguished professor to discuss ‘democratic backsliding,’ the future of governance in inaugural lecture

LAWRENCE —  Christopher Koliba, Edwin O. Stene Distinguished Professor in the School of Public Affairs & Administration, will deliver his inaugural distinguished professor lecture, “’We Don’t Know What We’ve Got ‘til It’s Gone’: Standards for Taking Democracy Seriously,” at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 30 in the Kansas Room of the Kansas Union. This lecture will address the urgent need for democratic resilience, particularly in an era when the health of democracies around the globe is increasingly under threat. 

Individuals can register to attend the lecture in person or via livestream, and a recording of the lecture will be posted afterward on the Office of Faculty Affairs website. 

Koliba’s lecture will reflect on the foundational standards that shape democracy, why they are worth defending and explore trends in “democratic backsliding” among established and nascent democracies around the world. Drawn from his research on historical and contemporary political philosophies, liberal constitutions and administrative precedence, Koliba will outline seven key standards of democratic accountability and offer recommendations for promoting and preserving democratic values. 

“My thesis explains that we have taken the essential elements of democracy for granted, and in doing so we lack a set of clear standards from which to defend legal, political and administrative norms and practices from transgression,” Koliba said.  

“I draw on classical and contemporary political philosophy, legal foundational documents and their shortcomings to define these standards. Then I discuss them in light of recent international general population surveys from the United States, Poland, United Kingdom and Canada.  

“As a public administration scholar and a social scientist, I believe this work provides critical guidance for public servants, responsible elected officials and scholars from across the academy.” 

Koliba's research spans local, national and global contexts. In 2015, he was named a Fulbright Scholar, focusing his work on climate change and the adaptive governance capabilities of Sri Lankan communities. He currently serves as a principal investigator or co-principal investigator on five funded projects, including initiatives to advance health equity and economic security for communities of color in the Kansas City metro, address water forecasting needs in Indigenous communities in northeastern Oklahoma and promote international green transitions. 

Koliba’s research on governance networks and community resilience has amassed more than 4,000 citations and includes two books, 85 peer-reviewed articles and contributions to dozens of books and book chapters. He has also held hundreds of presentations, lectures, workshops and media appearances on public administration and policy. 

In addition to his research, Koliba was elected as a fellow to the National Academy of Public Administration in 2023. He is a standing panel member for the National Academy of Public Administration’s Social Equity Standing Panel. Koliba also serves as a board member for the American Society of Public Administration’s George F. Frederickson Center for Social Equity and a committee member for the Network of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration’s Sustainable Development Goals Committee. 

He is also involved with various editorial boards and peer reviews for academic journals focused on performance management and public affairs education. In 2018, Koliba was awarded a Regional Emmy for his work on “Saving Our Waters,” a program produced by Vermont Public Television. 

Before joining the KU School of Public Affairs & Administration in 2023, Koliba was a professor in the Community Development and Applied Economics Department at the University of Vermont, where he directed several programs and labs and served as the inaugural director of the Office of Engagement. At KU, he is also the inaugural director of the Center for Democratic Governance, an interdisciplinary research center dedicated to advancing democratic governance, accountability and performance. 

“It is an honor to serve as the Edwin O. Stene Distinguished Professor,” Koliba said. “Prior scholars who have served in this role — George Frederickson and Rosemary O’Leary — have been giants in the field of public administration on many fronts, including social equity, collaborative management and ethically ground dissent. I see my democratic accountability work as modestly adding to this legacy.”  

The first distinguished professorships were established at KU in 1958. A university distinguished professorship is awarded wholly based on merit, following exacting criteria. A complete list is available on the Distinguished Professor website.