Democratic self-defence in a Rawlsian key Benjamin A Schupmann, Democracy Despite Itself: Liberal Constitutionalism and Militant Democracy, Oxford University Press: Oxford, 2024; 256 pp. ISBN: 9780192873026, £90.00 (hbk) Gabriele Badano and Alasia Nuti, Politicizing Political Liberalism: On the Containment of Illiberal and Antidemocratic Views, Oxford University Press: Oxford, 2024; 224 pp. ISBN: 9780192859310. £76.00 (hbk)

This review explores two recent contributions to the theory of democratic self-defence: Benjamin Schupmann's Democracy Despite Itself and Gabriele Badano and Alasia Nuti's Politicizing Political Liberalism . It situates both works within the broader field of democratic self-defence and critically assesses their central arguments in terms of normative coherence and practical applicability. The review also compares the two: Schupmann's maximalist, institution-focused model of militant democracy offers a sharp, normative framework for early and decisive constitutional intervention against autocrats, while Badano and Nuti shift attention toward the ethical and civic dimensions of democratic resistance beyond the state. Both contributions deepen our understanding of the challenges involved in resisting autocratization today – whether through legal entrenchment or grassroots engagement – while also revealing the persistent tensions between liberal constitutionalism and popular sovereignty.