CENTER FOR ETHICS AND THE RULE OF LAW​
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CERL's Mission

The Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law (CERL) is a non-partisan interdisciplinary institute dedicated to preserving and promoting ethics and the rule of law in national security, warfare, and democratic governance. CERL draws from the study of law, philosophy, and ethics to answer the difficult questions that arise in domestic and transnational crises and conflicts. more

CERL 2024 Summer Interns
Symposium on Threats to the Rule of Law and National Security
National Security and Journalism in a World of Alternative Facts
Tabletop Exercise to Assess the Risk of Civil Unrest and Threats to the Rule of Law in the 2024 Presidential Election
Tabletop Exercise to Assess the Risk of Civil Unrest and Threats to the Rule of Law in the 2024 Presidential Election
CERL's 2024 Summer Internship Program
The Promises and Perils of Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Weaponry
The FBI Way: Inside the Bureau’s Code of Excellence
The Reauthorization Debate: Charting the Path Ahead for FISA Section 702
The Reauthorization Debate: Charting the Path Ahead for FISA Section 702
 

NEWS & UPDATES

Events

Apr 14

The Trump Administration, the Rule of Law, and the Future of Business

Apr 11

Symposium on Threats to the Rule of Law and National Security

Mar 26

National Security and Journalism in a World of Alternative Facts

Jan 30

Nuclear Weapons and International Law 2025: Nuclear Risks through a Legal Lens

Jan 15

CERL/Brennan Center Roundtable on Domestic Military Deployments to Assist or Participate in Civilian Law Enforcement

Oct 09

Tabletop Exercise Assessing the Risk of Civil Unrest Surrounding the 2024 Presidential Election – Part II

Sep 18

Tabletop Exercise Assessing the Risk of Civil Unrest Surrounding the 2024 Presidential Election – Part I

May 28

2024 CERL Summer Internship Program

May 24

High-level Roundtable on the Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan (CHMR-AP)

All Events
CERL Media
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Supreme Court blocks Trump from using Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans accused of having ties to terrorist organization 

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General Votel presented West Point Association of Graduates’ 2025 Distinguished Graduate Award

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Legal options available to states for protecting autonomy of National Guard

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Dispensing with mandatory law of war training in U.S. Army is ‘dangerous’ 

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Trump’s campaign to revoke student visas is ‘merely performative,’ doing little to combat antisemitism on college campuses

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Comey investigation raises questions about First Amendment protections

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President’s plan to accept Qatari luxury jet could pose challenge to national security 

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Traditional legal processes bypassed to expand troop presence along the U.S.-Mexico border 

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Ethics experts raise concern about a DOGE employee’s personal ties to Musk

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Meet CERL’s new executive director, Dr. Marcos Soler

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How terminological ambiguities in Section 706 of the Communications Act of 1934 could imperil the future of communication infrastructure

2023-24 Annual Report Cover

CERL’s 2023-24 Annual Report

Mailing List

Submissions

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Penn CERL holds public symposium on threats to the rule of law and U.S. democracy