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 are student blog posts written by student participants in the Democratic Erosion Course. These posts were not written by nor represent the views of the Democratic Erosion Consortium.

De-Orbánization Looks a Lot Like Orbánization. Three Tests Will Tell Them Apart.

Péter Magyar's Tisza government says it is dismantling the system Viktor Orbán built over sixteen years. Several of its tools are the ones this course treats as warning signs of democratic erosion: constitutional amendments that removed Orbán-era officeholders,...

The Trump Administration’s use DHS funds for advertisements: breaking, or bending the rules?

In recent news, the Trump administration has been accused of using Department of Homeland Security funds to pay for President Trump's midterm election advertisements. According to federal budget and contracting records, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), led...

When Legal Institutions Weaken Political Competition in Turkey

Democratic erosion does not always happen in the form of a military invasion or by suddenly ending elections. It can happen slowly, with elections, courts and other democratic institutions still in place. What happened recently with Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and...

Mexico Holds Elections. Cartels Hold the Veto.

Sep 22, 2026 | George Mason University, Universities

On April 1, 2024, Bertha Gisela Gaytán stood at a campaign rally in Celaya, a city in Guanajuato that's been torn apart by a cartel turf war. She was running for mayor,...

A Green Card Once Meant Protection: Now it is Fear

Sep 11, 2026 | Suffolk University

A Green Card Once Meant Protection: Now it is Fear By Fotios E. Meimeteas Imagine you are a single mother in the United States, raising four children who depend on you. You...

Beginning of ‘Democratic Erosion’ in El Salvador

Apr 20, 2026 | American University, George Mason University, Universities

Sungeun Choi “The coolest dictator in the world.” This is how El Salvador’s President, Nayib Bokele, describes himself on social media. It might sound like a joke, but it shows a serious problem in...

Is Italy Undermining European Democracy?

Apr 20, 2026 | Suffolk University

Italy is no stranger to political upheaval. But today, many scholars and democratic organizations are asking the question: is Italy experiencing democratic backsliding? Under Prime Minister Giorgia...

Living in Fear: How Cartels Erode Democracy in Mexico

Apr 20, 2026 | George Mason University

Do the social problems that we commonly experience in our daily lives really affect a country’s democracy, policies, and overall political system? The answer is yes. In now days in our society,...

How elites quietly destroyed democracy in Venezuela

Apr 20, 2026 | George Mason University, Universities

Democracies do not usually collapse in some dramatic moments. There is no single night where everything suddenly falls. Most of time, they fade slowly and almost silently until the day they are not...

Democratic Erosion in Serbia and the Role of China’s Belt and Road Initiative

Apr 20, 2026 | George Mason University

The Novi Sad Canopy Collapse and Vučić’s response Can authoritarianism be spread transnationally, and if so, how does it affect democratic regimes in an era of...

The Stealthy Decay: Türkiye’s Democratic Erosion

Apr 19, 2026 | George Mason University

For much of the early twenty-first century, Türkiye was often considered a successful example of democratic consolidation in a Muslim-majority country. Political scientists such as Guillermo...

Before the Ballot Arrives: Trump’s Mail Voting Order and the Capture of Election Infrastructure

Apr 19, 2026 | Suffolk University

By March 24th, Donald Trump had voted by mail in a special election to fill a seat in Florida’s lower chamber. A week later, he signed an executive order directing the federal government to control...

Popularity Doesn’t Equal Democracy: A Look Into El Salvador’s Puzzle

Apr 19, 2026 | Boston University

Since President Nayib Bukele took office in 2019, El Salvador has undermined norms by changing the constitution, branches of government, and civil rights. While this directly threatens democracy,...

The BJP and Democracy in India

Apr 19, 2026 | Suffolk University

India’s history with democracy is long and often complex, especially when considering cultural factors and the size of the population as it has continued to increase over time. Under Modi and the...