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.

Arresting Opposition and Squashing Protests: Democratic Backsliding in Turkey Under Erdoğan

Turkey has been inching towards autocracy under Erdoğan and the AKP for the last 22 years.

2025 Romanian Elections: An Election Redo and a Barred Candidate

Only two weeks out from Presidential Elections, Romanian voters face a tough decision in deciding on the next leader of their country. The latest opinion polls show that nearly 40% of voters are still undecided on who to vote for. After all, most voters already cast...

Why Protecting American Democracy Means Coming Together In Protest

In the lead up to the 2020 presidential election, the Democratic Erosion Consortium's very own professors Robert Blair and Steven Rosenzweig wrote an article in The Boston Globe urging readers to “Get ready to protest like democracy depends on it.” The article was in...

Political Attitudes, Polarization, and Their Consequences in the United States

May 10, 2024 | William Jewell College

The United States has been facing political polarization since the early 1970s - but the uprise of technology, media, and freedom of expression has demonstrated how a...

A 2024 Rematch: Will it be the Authoritarian or the Genocide-Enabler?

May 10, 2024 | American University

With the grim results of Super Tuesday, we face the catastrophic choice between Trump, espousing authoritarian ideology, and Biden, a now genocide-enabler. “Democracies...

Bhutan: A Young and Fragile Democracy Faces Barriers to Growth

Mar 8, 2022 | Ohio State University

The predominately Buddhist nation of Bhutan remains the subject of international interest as an isolated ecological haven and an area of promise for democracy. Recent years have seen increases in...

When History Repeats Itself

Mar 8, 2022 | Ohio State University

An all too familiar threat to democracy in the Philippines (Not so) Democratic History Democracy in the Philippines was nothing more than an ideal for the vast majority of the country’s history....

Ethiopia’s Ethnic Conflict Leads to Harsh Decrease in Rights

Mar 8, 2022 | Ohio State University

Since November of 2020, Ethiopia has been consumed by the ongoing conflict between the national government and rebels from the northernmost part of the country. This conflict however, has had a wide...

Cuban Citizens Call to Action in Summer 2021

Mar 8, 2022 | Ohio State University

July 2021 brought a period of unrest in Cuba, the likes of which had not been seen since the 1959 revolution with Fidel Castro. On July 11, 2021 people came to the streets to protest against...

Invasion to Failed State: Iraq’s Democratic Mirage

Mar 7, 2022 | Ohio State University

On March 20th, 2003, President George W. Bush announced that United States forces would begin military exercises within Iraq. Among the coalition partners, it was clear the United States and NATO...

Qatar’s New Legislature Is No Real Indication of Democratization

Mar 7, 2022 | Ohio State University

In October of last year, 2021, general elections for a national legislative body were held in Qatar for the first time. The legislature (romanized from Arabic as Majlis as-Shura) is called the Shura...

Technocracy, Autocracy, and Democracy in Singapore

Mar 7, 2022 | Ohio State University

In December 2021, the United States held an international Summit For Democracy, inviting 100 nations to combat democratic backsliding. The invite list was full of liberal democracies but included...

Stealth Authoritarianism: A Threat to Democracy in Paraguay

Mar 7, 2022 | Ohio State University

Following a 35-year military dictatorship by Alfredo Stroessner that ended in 1989, Paraguay took steps toward democratization including the adoption of a constitution in 1992. In 1993, Colorado...

“Protection Bill” Passes Committee: What are its Implications in the Fight for Democracy in Iran?

Mar 7, 2022 | Ohio State University

Recent scholarship on authoritarianism, democratic backsliding and state censorship has shifted its focus. Research on explicit abuses of power has given way towards the implicit means by which...