Democratic backsliding and the challenges for public administration scholarship

Abstract This article explores the implications of democratic backsliding for public administration (PA), both as a discipline and as a research subject, using Brazil as an exemplary case. Grounded in two experiences of conducting empirical research on the federal bureaucracy during the Bolsonaro administration (2019–2022), we argue for the need to understand the complexities involved in studying PA—particularly bureaucrats—during democratic backsliding. In Brazil, researchers identified changes to research agendas and priorities, to the training of civil servants, and to the academic curriculum, as well as new issues and challenges in public debate. The Brazilian case also made it apparent that research protocols require revisions, with heightened protections when involving bureaucrats at risk of persecution. Ultimately, the article contends that democratic backsliding demands a rethinking of PA as both a field of practice and an object of study.