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.

De-Orbánization Looks a Lot Like Orbánization. Three Tests Will Tell Them Apart.

Péter Magyar's Tisza government says it is dismantling the system Viktor Orbán built over sixteen years. Several of its tools are the ones this course treats as warning signs of democratic erosion: constitutional amendments that removed Orbán-era officeholders,...

The Trump Administration’s use DHS funds for advertisements: breaking, or bending the rules?

In recent news, the Trump administration has been accused of using Department of Homeland Security funds to pay for President Trump's midterm election advertisements. According to federal budget and contracting records, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), led...

When Legal Institutions Weaken Political Competition in Turkey

Democratic erosion does not always happen in the form of a military invasion or by suddenly ending elections. It can happen slowly, with elections, courts and other democratic institutions still in place. What happened recently with Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and...

Press Access and Democratic Erosion

Oct 7, 2026 | Boston University

Democratic erosion does not just happen quickly through canceling elections or censorship of the press, it can also occur gradually even with democratic institutions...

Turkey and T24: How Erosion is Demonstrated Through the Populists Toolkit

Oct 7, 2026 | Boston University

On September 30th, Turkey’s Criminal Court of Peace banned T24, a news portal based in the country, for alleged “LGBT Propaganda”. This follows suit in a growing number of...

Defending Democracy While Restricting Press Freedom in Moldova

Oct 7, 2026 | George Mason University

Can a democratic government protect democracy while restricting press freedom? Ahead of the 2025 parliamentary election, the Moldovan government used broad emergency powers through the “Commission...

Trump’s Press Ban and The Courts Response

Oct 2, 2026 | Boston University

Access to unbarred media is fundamental to maintaining the integrity of a democratic country. Without independent media, the stream of information to voters is disrupted making people's...

Trump’s Use of the SAVE Database May Threaten Democratic Participation

Oct 2, 2026 | Boston University

On Friday, September 25th, the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to make use of the Department of Homeland Security's Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database to...

The Press and the Limits of Presidential Power

Oct 2, 2026 | Boston University

On September 25, 2026, The Atlantic published Quinta Jurecic’s article, “The Two-Year Temper Tantrum to Come,” about President Donald Trump’s recent fight with the White House press. Just one day...

Paid for by Democracy

Oct 2, 2026 | Boston University

Ahead of the November 3rd midterm elections, President Trump aired three commercials trumpeting American exceptionalism, but they drew bipartisan criticism. Concerns about misuse of taxpayer dollars...

Federal Funding Being Used as Political Leverage in the US

Oct 2, 2026 | Boston University

In June 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced new conditions for states and local governments receiving federal...

Redistricting Chaos: Executive Attempts to Suppress Missourian Voters

Oct 2, 2026 | Boston University

In the November 3rd general election, 1 in 4 Missourians will vote in a different district than in the August primaries. With last-minute rulings from state and national courts, voters are...

Can Politicians Hear Americans’ Disapproval Over the Hum of Data Centers?

Oct 2, 2026 | Boston University

In early September, an AI researcher at Anthropic resigned due to his belief that his leadership and colleagues were pursuing AI development in a dangerous and reckless manner. Following the growing...

Submarine Policy in an Era of Polarization

Oct 2, 2026 | Boston University

Introduction At a time when American politics experiences extreme partisan divide, one area of policy still looks surprisingly cooperative. On July 29th, 2026, the United States Navy announced $76.6...