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 blogs reflect the views of the student authors, and not those of the Democratic Erosion Consortium.

The Illusion of Elections: How Authoritarian Power Undermines Democratic Legitimacy in Myanmar

This blog examines how elections in Myanmar, stripped of genuine competition, political freedoms, and popular consent, have failed to protect democracy and instead become instruments of authoritarian rule.

Georgia’s Foreign Agents Law and Quiet Death of Democratic Accountability

Georgia’s 2024 foreign agents law uses the language of transparency to legally constrain civil society, tilt electoral competition towards the incumbent Georgian Dream Party, and accelerate democratic backsliding despite domestic and international opposition.

The Boiling Point of Election Violence: Democratic Erosion in Tanzania

Once hailed for its relative stability in an otherwise politically volatile East Africa, Tanzania has exploded into violence and political protest following the controversial reelection of President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court Upholds Bolsonaro’s Conviction — Hope For Democratic Resilience Remains

Nov 30, 2025 | Northeastern University

“In Brazil, impunity for those who attack democracy has always been the rule. This trial breaks that cycle” — Oscar Vilhena Vieira (2025).” Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court...

When Violence Becomes “Politics as Usual”: How Normalization Threatens American Democracy

Nov 28, 2025 | Northeastern University

In the United States today, political violence is no longer an unimaginable notion, it is becoming a background condition of democratic life. Threats against election...

How Modi Turned Culture into a Political Weapon

Apr 30, 2025 | Tulane University

Image of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking at a BJP rally. The lotus symbol, central to the BJP’s identity, is prominently displayed on the podium. I remember sitting on the couch...

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

Apr 30, 2025 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

As Asia’s oldest democracy, the Philippines has had its share of national controversies over the years. In recent memory, very few of these incidents stand out as much as the case of Alice...

The fire from within: American Democracy is dying?

Apr 29, 2025 | University of Memphis, University of Virginia

” 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...

Enemies of the People: Matteo Salvini’s Politics of Delegitimation in Italy

Apr 29, 2025 | Tartu University

Enemies of the People: Matteo Salvini’s Politics of Delegitimation in Italy In April 2025, Matteo Salvini and his party, the far-right Lega (League), sparked outrage after posting a series of...

Robert Fico’s media law: a populist attack on public broadcasting

Apr 28, 2025 | Tartu University

Robert Fico’s media law: a populist attack on public broadcasting In April 2024, Robert Fico, the Prime Minister of Slovakia, oversaw the dismantling of one of the most popular media outlets...

Disinformation and war : How the Violent War in Ukraine Illustrates the Power of Disinformation 1

Apr 27, 2025 | University of Memphis

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, information warfare has become as crucial as military strategy on the ground. Government officials, state-backed media outlets, and online...

Russia fueling Democratic Struggles in Romania through the Media

Apr 24, 2025 | University of Memphis

In November of 2024, Romanian politician Călin Georgescu was accused of receiving help from Russia through the global media platform TikTok, to influence Romanian elections. Here's a breakdown of...

The Gavel, Not The Gun: How Viktor Orbán Reinvented Backsliding

Apr 24, 2025 | Tulane University

On April 3rd, 2022, after polls predicted he would win by a 5-point margin, Viktor Orbán and his party, Fidesz, secured their fourth consecutive election victory with a supermajority in parliament,...

Executive Power: The Growing Threat to Democracy

Apr 23, 2025 | University of Memphis

Executive Power: The Growing Threat to Democracy We have learned about it, and if you are a citizen of the United States of America, you have lived in it all your life. When it comes to democracy,...