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 are student blog posts written by student participants in the Democratic Erosion Course. These posts were not written by nor represent the views of the Democratic Erosion Consortium.

Trump vs. Media: The Never Ending Crusade

In advanced liberal democracies such as the United States, democratic erosion does not come in one fell swoop. Often, norms, checks and balances, and foundational features of democracy are gradually chipped away at as to lessen resistance, comparable to a frog being...

Donald Trump’s Trade Wars and Their Implications on US Vertical Accountability

Just recently Donald Trump visited Dayton, Ohio, a region which is defined by the prevalence of their manufacturing sector, and which has seen negative impacts from ever increasing US reliance on manufactured imports. As a result of the blowbacks from increased...

From Reformer to Authoritarian

How is Zambia’s Current President Showing Signs of Democratic Backsliding In Zambia, Election Day occurs on the 2nd Thursday of August every 5 years to elect the President and Vice President. To be elected president in Zambia, a candidate must receive more than 50% of...

Even with the economic ascendancy, why is Thailand’s democracy going backwards?

Oct 19, 2026 | George Mason University

Even with the economic ascendancy, why is Thailand’s democracy going backwards? Thailand is arguably Southeast Asia’s leading economic powerhouse. Cities burst with...

Turkey Still Has Elections. So Why Is Its Democracy Eroding?

Oct 19, 2026 | George Mason University

Turkey Still Has Elections. So Why Is Its Democracy Eroding? Turkey still holds elections. Opposition parties still compete, and they sometimes win. But still, concerns...

Indonesia: Democracy Is More Than Just Elections

Oct 19, 2026 | George Mason University

Most people when they hear the word democracy think of elections. Indonesia appears to demonstrate just that. Since the beginning of Suharto's authoritarian rule ended in 1998, Indonesia has...

The Inner Asian Anomaly: How Democracy Works Without Prerequisites?

Oct 19, 2026 | George Mason University

When you look at the map, Mongolia is positioned at the heart of the Eurasian continent—a location that catches your eye, yet seems a difficult geopolitical position for democracy to survive....

Is Polyarchy Ever Finished? The Czech Republic’s Battle Against Democratic Erosion

Oct 19, 2026 | George Mason University

Polyarchy doesn’t mean democratization is done. To sustain Polyarchy it needs continuous civic engagement. History and the World Wars were rarely on Czechoslovakia’s side. In 1938, before World War...

The Limits of Democracy in Peru

Oct 19, 2026 | George Mason University

Peru is considered a democracy in the sense that it has competitive, fair, and free elections, but the political instability, polarization, and institutional conflicts that it had during Pedro...

Democracy Beyond the Ballot Box: Hungary’s Democratic Erosion

Oct 19, 2026 | George Mason University

If elections still exist, what exactly is eroding? Hungary continued to hold elections throughout Viktor Orbán’s sixteen years in power. Opposition parties still existed, and citizens still went to...

How Serbia’s Unequal Media Environment Shapes Democratic Competition

Oct 19, 2026 | George Mason University

On September 15, Serbia’s election commission approved Student List Students Win for the October 25 parliamentary election. The list grew out of the student movement that followed the Novi Sad...

Once Again in the Hands of Citizens: Zambia’s Fragile Democracy from Lungu to Hichilema

Oct 19, 2026 | George Mason University

Tanks did not roll into the capital, nor did generals appear. Yet, between 2015 and 2020, Zambia’s democracy was quietly dismantled through the cunning abuse of legal procedures and regulations....

The Narratives Surrounding Israel and Their Compounding Effects on Democratic Erosion

Oct 19, 2026 | George Mason University

“From the river to the sea” Depending on who says or hears this most infamous, iconic, hostile, or even beautiful slogan, it can produce several interpretations. It refers to the land between the...

Democracy Endures: Malawi’s 1993 Transition into Democracy and Maintaining the Legacy

Oct 19, 2026 | George Mason University

Up until 1993, Malawi had been under dictatorship for twenty-nine years. However, in an unprecedented referendum, 63.5 percent of voters favored a multiparty system, which completely undermined the...