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.

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.

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 prevent the changes that involve separating families and dismantling the place that...

AI as Democratic Erosion by Proxy: Trump, Synthetic Media, and the Normalization of Anti-Pluralism

Feb 14, 2026 | Boston University

Donald Trump’s use of AI-generated media, particularly content that fabricates or manipulates the speech and actions of political opponents, constitutes a form of democratic...

Is India Facing Democratic Backsliding?

Feb 13, 2026 | Boston University

Within the past decade, political institutions have listed India’s democracy in a steady decline. The V-Dem Institute lists India as #100 out of 179 countries, classifying...

Italy’s Submersion into Populism – A Period of Instability Seized for Political Gain

Oct 18, 2022 | Boston University

With a proportional parliament, multi-layered elections, and an established separation of powers in government, Italy would appear to many as a strongly democratic nation. However, the country's...

Is the U.S’s 2022 Election Facing Democratic Backsliding?

Oct 18, 2022 | Boston University

As the US 2022 midterm election continues, there are several phenomena going on in the process. The two political parties; Democrats and Republicans are the two competing rivals running for the...

Democratic Backsliding in Hungary

Oct 17, 2022 | Boston University

Since the founding of the European Union in 1993, the institution’s focus has centered around the principles of a full, representative democracy. Member states of the EU are required to maintain a...

The Erosion of the Democratic Facade

Oct 17, 2022 | Boston University

The ratification of the Charter of the United Nations in 1945 ushered in a new era of international relations, worldwide cooperation, and the international prioritization of democracy. The United...

The Consequences of Populism: Evo Morales and the 2019 Bolivian Crisis

Oct 17, 2022 | Boston University

Bolivia is often overshadowed by its neighboring countries– Brazil to the east, Chile to the west, and Argentina to the south. Similar to these countries, Bolivia transitioned its government from a...

Marijuana Decriminalization as a Method of Democratization

Oct 17, 2022 | Boston University

On October 6, 2022, President Joe Biden announced a mass presidential pardon of all prior federal offenses of simple marijuana possession. In his statement, he emphasized the importance of doing so...

Colorado Election Mistake Fuels Election Lies and Emboldens Populist Ideology

Oct 17, 2022 | Boston University

Colorado's secretary of state sent 30,000 non-citizens postcards that encouraged them to register to vote. Shortly after, the secretary of state's office released a statement saying it was a mistake...

How the Issue of Crime Has Reshaped the 2022 Midterm Elections

Oct 17, 2022 | Boston University

How the Issue of Crime has Reshaped the 2022 Midterm Elections As the Midterm Elections rapidly approach, a number of policy issues have taken the forefront of political debate such as...

The Migrant Crisis in New York: Why Populism Brought Us to Such a Partisan Divide

Oct 17, 2022 | Boston University

Earlier this month, New York City Mayor Eric Adams declared a state of emergency in his city due to the massive influx of migrants arriving by bus. As a result, New York City is currently facing...