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.
Could the 2017 burning of Congress in Paraguay have led to the end years of Colorado Party dominance?
In 2017, protests erupted in Paraguay after President Horacio Cartes attempted to amend the constitution to allow for his re-election. Cartes’ influence over the Colorado Party— which has dominated Paraguayan politics for decades—has faced significant opposition due to corruption, bribery, and drug trafficking scandals, leading to public disillusionment with his party. The Colorado Party held onto power in 2023, but the lasting effects of Cartes’ actions may have provided enough fuel to the political fire to spark change in Paraguay.
The Unpaved Road Of Guatemala’s Democracy
Georgia’s Stolen Election: A Setback for Democracy and European Integration
The Junta, Democratic Erosion, and Anti-LGBTQ Legislation in Mali
In November of 2024, following two years of uncontested rule, the provisional government in Mali moved to enshrine anti-LGBTQ legislation into the nation's penal code. It...
The Battle for Free and Fair Elections in Ghana: Electoral Irregularities and Growing Unrest
Ghana, often hailed as a model of democracy in West Africa, now faces a serious challenge to its electoral processes and democratic institutions. Ahead of the country’s...
Silenced Voices: Singapore’s Government Continues to Target Media
The utilization of POFMA, legislation that allows government officials to punish news media that do not abide by its rules and restrictions, adds to numerous other media restrictions set in place by...
Clear Democratic Erosion in South Korea: How the Presidency of Yoon Suk-yeol is Undermining Democracy
"송도동, Incheon, South Korea"/ CC0 1.0 Democratic erosion can be defined as the gradual weakening of democratic institutions in a particular country or region through the erosion of democratic norms...
A Saving Grace or Simply Smoke and Mirrors? How Rafael Correa’s 2008 Constitution Deceived the People of Ecuador
The people of Ecuador were facing chronic turnover in government leading to loss of morale, stability, and hope. That had experienced years of dissatisfaction in government. Ecuador needed a new...
Red Flag in Nepal: PM Oli Considers Law to Weaken Opposition
“Hitler, who dreamed of conquering the world, was alone when he died. Therefore, abandon the Hitler style.” These startling...
Erosion of Media Freedom is a Sign of Things to Come in Zambia
Over the past decades, Zambia has been met with democratic erosion that has spread around the globe. Many aspects of a once functioning democracy are being pulled back such as media freedoms,...
Democracy Hijacked: Sudan’s Descent from Prospective Democracy into Authoritarian Rule
Sudan was a country with a prosperous democratic future in 2019, yet today the nation remains worse off than it initially began. With significant military violence and a brutal civil war being waged...
El Salvador’s Security Crackdown: A Path to Authoritarianism?
In the last two years, El Salvador has witnessed an unprecedented state-led crackdown on gang violence under President Nayib Bukele. The policies, which include mass arrests, curfews, and suspension...
Senate Removals and Executive Power: How the Philippines Continues to Backslide on Democracy
Recent events in the Philippines demonstrate how democratic backsliding can be very slow and quiet, but still impactful. In particular, it shows how power and influence in the executive can erode...
Censorship and Deception: How Social Media Controls Fuel Misinformation in Turkey
In August of this year Turkey’s Information and Communication Technologies Authority blocked the social media platform Instagram as an effort to regulate access to the internet. With the rapid...