Democratic Erosion University Course Student Blog

Students enrolled in our course are encouraged to write for the course blog, and to read and comment on posts from students at other participating universities. The blog offers students the opportunity to analyze current events through the lens of the theory and case studies they engage with through the course.

These blogs reflect the views of the student authors, and not those of the Democratic Erosion Consortium.

Identity Survival Amongst Democratically Eroded Ethno-Religious Conflicts

When politics between religious governments turn into a contest for identity survival, democracy institutions stop being referees and start becoming weapons.

Poland’s Democratic Decline Was Reversible

In 2015, Poland experienced a significant decrease in democracy. The Law and Justice Party (PiS), under Jaroslaw Kaczyński’s leadership, secured victories in both the presidential and parliamentary elections. In a matter of months, the government acted to diminish the...

Selective Support of the Courts: How Elite Driven Narratives in Brazil Undermine the Courts Perceived Legitimacy

When Election Results Take Too Long: What Happened in Peru

May 11, 2026 | James Madison University

Elections are supposed to provide clarity. They tell citizens who won, who lost, and what comes next. But in Peru, the recent election did the opposite. Instead of clear...

Legislative Capture and the Erosion of Democracy in India

May 8, 2026 | James Madison University

After coming into power following the 2014 election, India’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has initiated an alarming backsliding of democratic institutions and practices....

Fujimori or Sánchez – How Peru Loses Either Way

May 7, 2026 | James Madison University

In the April 2026 presidential elections in Peru there was a total of 35 candidates. As we approach the runoff vote on the top two candidates, Peruvians are going to be choosing between Keiko...

When Will It End? Stealth Authoritarianism over Female Reproductive Rights

May 6, 2026 | Suffolk University

In May 2026, the United States Supreme Court has now finally temporarily restored access to the mailing of mifepristone after a lower court ruling previously threatened to prohibit its nationwide...

Democracy Dying by Law : A Case study of Poland’s Under PiS Era

May 5, 2026 | George Mason University

Still water runs deep. Have you ever heard of this phrase? It means that the surface may look calm, but there is some powerful force moving underneath. What if this was happening in real life? That...

The New Nepal: A Model or An Outlier?

May 5, 2026 | Salem State University

Recent uprisings in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Madagascar (just to name a few) have highlighted younger generations’ demands for anticorruption and better political representation....

Challenging Erdoğan’s Autocracy: Resistance to Democratic Erosion in Türkiye

May 5, 2026 | James Madison University

Tens of thousands of people crowded the streets of Istanbul for another night of protests in late March of 2025, waving red Turkish flags and wearing masks to protect against the police force’s...

Elimination of Accountability in Nicaragua under the Ortega regime

May 5, 2026 | James Madison University

Nicaragua under Daniel Ortega has seen its presidential republic downgraded from a competitive democracy to an authoritarian regime, where the government has been more focused on the suppression of...

Democratic Erosion in Chile (1963-1975)

May 4, 2026 | Tulane University

Chile between the period of 1964 and 1975 represents a great example of how democracy can be eroded through both internal failure, but mainly through the planned efforts of global superpowers. This...

After Orbán: Should the EU be shifting its sights to Bulgaria?

May 4, 2026 | Suffolk University

Victor Orbán, a pain in the European Union’s side, is no longer in office. Although, the EU cannot celebrate just yet, as Rumen Radev might have just taken his place. After nearly 10 years as...

Two Presidents Walk into a Room: Daniel Noboa and Donald Trump’s Relationship

May 4, 2026 | Tulane University

The security crisis of Latin America is a discussion consistently making its way on both the world stage and domestic politics. What is not a constant is the introduction of the relatively quiet...