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.

A Violent Election in the Central African Republic

Nov 22, 2023 | Northeastern University

Since the Central African Republic gained independence back in 1960, from France, it has been prone to instability and bursts of violence. The last decade of its existence...

Is Donald Trump Eroding Democracy?

Nov 22, 2023 | University of Memphis

On November 8, 2023, Republican presidential hopefuls gathered for their third debate, moderated by NBC. One candidate still remained absent, Donald J. Trump. Trump has...

Gerrymandering: Redistricting Done Wrong

Feb 10, 2022 | Ohio State University

Every ten years, the United States is required by the Constitution to take a count of all of the people that are living within its borders. This is known as the census and has happened every decade...

France – A Lesson in Leashing the Far Right

Feb 9, 2022 | University of Chicago

Since 2017, Marine le Pen has been laying the foundations for her next attempt at heading L’Elysée Palace. Her success in both local representative elections and EU Parliamentary elections following...

Chile Attempt at Depolarization

Feb 8, 2022 | Georgia State University

Chile is a South American country that has witnessed significant polarization in its politics and social dimensions. In the following analysis, the discussion will focus on the attempt at...

How Misinformation Can Be Utilized to Promote Democratic Erosion

Feb 8, 2022 | University of Chicago

While in the past, authoritarians might have dealt with reality problems by manipulating media into serving their interests—and some still do—today, misinformation is a valuable way for...

New Voter Restrictions in Texas Strategically Keep Republicans in Power

Feb 8, 2022 | University of Chicago

Texas’s Senate Bill 1 (SB1) recently came into effect, and with it come further restrictions on the already limited program of mail-in ballots. It was already true that the program may only be used...

Judicial “Reform” in Poland: Democracy Defended or Undermined?

Feb 7, 2022 | University of Chicago

This past Thursday, February 3, 2022, President Andrzej Duda of Poland’s Law and Justice (PiS) party submitted legislation to dismantle the Supreme Court’s Judicial Disciplinary Chamber. This...

Why the 2022 Winter Olympics Won’t Be a Repeat of 1988

Feb 5, 2022 | University of Chicago

Today marks the first day of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, which becomes the first city to enjoy the privilege of hosting both the Summer and Winter Olympics. The selection of host cities for the...

Autocratic Behavioral Warning Signs During Zelenski’s Presidential Rule in Ukraine

Feb 5, 2022 | University of Chicago

In Ukraine’s 2019 presidential election, comedian Volodymyr Zelensky won 73% of the run-off vote, unseating incumbent Petro Poroshenko. Watching from the United States— this was a tale that was...

Erdogan Rejects the Council of Europe, ECHR Decision on Long-term Detainee

Feb 5, 2022 | University of Chicago

On February 3rd, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a statement against the decision to refer philanthropist Osman Kavala’s case back to a European court, declaring that Turkey will not respect the...