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.

A Green Card Once Meant Protection: Now it is Fear

A Green Card Once Meant Protection: Now it is Fear By Fotios E. Meimeteas Imagine you are a single mother in the United States, raising four children who depend on you. You have established a new life, built a home, paid taxes, and lived in the United States for...

Food Security is Rooted Abroad

Global fertilizer supply chains connect geopolitical events abroad to food production at home in ways most consumers don’t see.

The Meaning of Silence : What the moment of silence for Melissa Hortman says about American democracy

On June 14, 2025, the lives of Melissa Hortman who was a House speaker in Minnesota and her husband Mark were taken in what authorities believe to be a politically motivated act of violence. The same day Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also shot and...

Buying Injustice: The Hidden Harms of this Act.

Jun 22, 2026 | Suffolk University

Are we looking to create a thriving society, or are we allowing fear into the lives of immigrant families? As new immigration policies appear, the question become, how do we...

The New Future of Warfare? How Social Media is Inflating Tensions Between the U.S. and Iran.

Jun 22, 2026 | Suffolk University, Universities

Social media is moving to the forefront of the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran, with political elites from both sides of the conflict using social media as a...

Modern Day Scarlet Letter: Women in Afghanistan Being Shamed for Mens’ Actions

Jun 21, 2026 | Suffolk University

Modern Day Scarlet Letter: Women in Afghanistan Being Shamed for Men's Actions A 16 year old girl named Gulnaz was raped by her cousin’s husband and subsequently thrown in jail due to her own...

South Africa’s Democracy Isn’t Collapsing, It’s Quietly Eroding

May 18, 2026 | George Mason University

Democracies rarely die overnight. They decay slowly, often in plain sight for all to see. South Africa today is a good example of how democratic erosion can occur even without dictators or dramatic...

Identity Survival Amongst Democratically Eroded Ethno-Religious Conflicts

May 12, 2026 | Suffolk University

When politics turns into a contest for identity survival, democratic institutions stop functioning as neutral arbitrators and instead become tools within group competition. Israel's recent...

Poland’s Democratic Decline Was Reversible

May 11, 2026 | James Madison University

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...

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

May 11, 2026 | James Madison University

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 results, the country faced...

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. Having recently become the...

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...