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.

Politics and Populism Brazil: Increasing Polarization

Populism has played an important role in the shaping of Brazilian politics over the past century. An approach that pits "the people" against "the elite," populism thrives under conditions of economic uncertainty, political distrust, and social inequality, which have...

Democracy for Sale: How a Chinese National Briefly Became a Mayor in the Philippines

In 2024, the integrity of Philippine democracy was called into question as evidence revealed that a local municipality had unknowingly elected a Chinese national as Mayor, following reports of illegal activities in her jurisdiction.

The fire from within: American Democracy is dying?

” There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide” - James Adams. If the average empire fails at 250 years and America is 248 years old, could we say that the death of democracy was something foreseeable and the uprise in authoritarian form of...

Democracy in Further Peril: New Autocrats in the Philippines

May 24, 2024 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

The Philippines has not had a scarcity of strongmen in its history—from Manuel L. Quezon, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., and the most recent president, Rodrigo Duterte. Even today,...

Faith vs. Fairness: How Christian Religiosity Fuels Stealth Authoritarianism in Contemporary Philippines

May 24, 2024 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

The legal assaults on drag artist Pura Luka Vega signify a chilling reality: not only the LGBTQIA+ community is under attack, but also the very foundations of Philippine...

Watchdog Journalist’s Arrest Example of Free Press Collapsing in Bangladesh

Mar 8, 2022 | Ohio State University

In May 2021, an anti-corruption journalist for the largest newspaper in Bangladesh spent a month investigating government mishandling of the COVID-19 crisis before she sat down to have a meeting...

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...