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.

Donald Trump the Nazi Reincarnate?: Godwin’s Law and How This Phenomenon is Counterproductive to Understanding Democratic Erosion

What do we hope to accomplish when comparing President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler, a tyrannical perpetrator of genocide?

The Russia-Ukraine War Bodes Poorly for Democracy, But Not in the Way You Think

The Russia-Ukraine War is a serious threat to global democracy through the growing wave of isolationism in the United States, an entity that has typically been at the forefront of fighting authoritarianism across the world.

The Trump Administration’s Attack on USAID

The Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle USAID, increase concerns about democratic backsliding as it could result in a trend with the executive undermining institutional legitimacy.

The Overlooked Backsliding of Malagasy Democracy

Jan 4, 2024 | Sabanci University

Malagasy politics are often overlooked by the international civil society, despite its long history of tumultuous instability. Yet, the Madagascan political atmosphere...

Legitimating Authority Through Elections: Orbán’s Hungary

Jan 3, 2024 | Sabanci University

Hungary, a country which transitioned to democracy fairly peacefully after years of Soviet pressure and communist rule, now struggles with authoritarianism and its effects....

Failed Erosion: Petro Poroshenko’s Executive Aggrandizement in Ukraine

Feb 25, 2022 | University of Chicago

As he held a Kalashnikov assault rifle, former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko made a bold and clear statement to CNN earlier this morning: “we Ukrainian[s] are free people with a great...

The Constitution’s Double-Edged Sword: Impeachment

Feb 25, 2022 | University of Chicago

Impeachment trials are sensationalized events that capture American national attention and media focus. To date, no U.S. president has been removed from office as a result of an impeachment...

President Ortega’s Classroom: Lessons on Censorship in Nicaragua

Feb 25, 2022 | University of Chicago

This month, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega brought five private universities under state control in an effort to censor college students, whom he perceives to be one of the greatest threats to...

Kenya’s Troubling Relationship with “Fake News”

Feb 25, 2022 | University of Chicago

Following drastic changes to its constitution, along with a notably peaceful election cycle, Kenya seemed to be making great strides in its democracy during the 2010s decade. However, the pervasion...

Are Texas Republicans Power Hungry? Similarities Between Democratic Erosion at the Ballot Box in Texas and Hungary

Feb 25, 2022 | University of Chicago

Perhaps it is hard for people to imagine the democratic American leaders they favor could have ulterior motives. Or perhaps Americans are so polarized that they are willing to overlook...

Donald Trump: A Warning Sign of Declining Democracy in the US?

Feb 23, 2022 | Boston University

In today’s society, Donald Trump’s presidential legacy still lurks within US democracy. More specifically, Trump’s claims of election fraud haunt the country’s political climate. Many citizens...

Erdogan’s Blueprint for Coercing International Legitimacy

Feb 23, 2022 | University of Chicago

Aspiring autocrats face a variety of obstacles. Domestically, institutional resistance, robust democratic culture, and the sort of political difficulties that affect all politicians can slow, or...

An Incomplete Electorate: Constitutional Retrogression from Political Appointments within Federal Bureaucracy

Feb 22, 2022 | Boston University

Political appointments within bureaucracy are usually not headline worthy- unless they are controversial in nature. Former U.S. president Donald Trump appointed a litany of controversial figures to...

Congress & Insider Trading

Feb 21, 2022 | Boston University

Congress & Insider Trading The conversation around congress and the stock market is not a new concern. The Stock Act of 2012 was designed to prevent insider trading, but vague...