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.

Democratic Destruction Around The World

Nov 21, 2023 | University of Memphis

How often has it been publicized that a government leader takes their powers to the next level? More than likely every leader that even ran a country at some point has...

Can Workplace Democracy Save American Democracy?

Nov 21, 2023 | Northeastern University

United States work stoppages and organized labor activity in 2023 are reaching a level not seen in decades, as hundreds of thousands of workers across the country take to...

Erdogan’s Backtracking on Diplomat Expulsion Shows Weakened State of Turkish Leader

Dec 9, 2021 | University of Utah

Erdogan speaks at a press conference in Ankara, Turkey, Nov. 17, 2021. (Burhan Ozbilici/AP) In a speech on Saturday, October 23, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to expel...

US Democracy Summit Brings Hope for the Future and Reminders of the Past

Dec 9, 2021 | Suffolk University

This week the U.S. will hold a two-day international Summit For Democracy— and in true American democratic fashion, this is an invite-only affair, with 100 of the world’s top democratic nations and...

What the United States Can Learn from German Elections

Dec 8, 2021 | Salem State University

On September 26th, 2021, Germany held an election which was unlike any other in the country’s last sixteen years. Angela Merkel is retiring after an overwhelmingly successful career that has shaped...

The Case of Depolarization in South Korea

Dec 8, 2021 | Georgia State University

Polarization can be observed as a phenomenon inflicting countries around the world to varying degrees. South Korea is no exception, since the founding of the Sixth Republic of Korea in 1987, the...

“El Presidente” of El Salvador: Populist or Fool?

Dec 7, 2021 | Suffolk University

Key Points: Raids on Journalist Organization, Overwhelming Public Support, Proposed Changes to the Constitution “Devuelvan lo robado...” translation “Give back what was stolen” is only one of the...

Far-Right Populism: A Threat to Poland’s Democracy

Dec 6, 2021 | University of Georgia

In recent years, we have seen how far-right populism has gained a footing in what many would consider to be some of the world’s strongest democracies. From the United States, to France, to Germany,...

There Is No Way That Polarization Is Happening in Norway, Right?

Dec 5, 2021 | Georgia State University

Norway has historically been one of the most robust and successful democracies especially since the end of World War II and Nazi occupation. The country consistently ranks high on metrics of human...

Examining the Implications of Jair Bolsonaro’s Rise to Power in Brazil

Dec 5, 2021 | Georgia State University

The intricate relationship between authoritarian forms of contemporary populism and its potential implications on democratic order is incredibly important, but also, almost entirely paradoxical. On...

Military Control in “Lawless” Pakistan by Sana Iqbal

Dec 4, 2021 | Suffolk University

Pakistan is a country in Southeast Asia where the military plays arguably the biggest part in its functionality or lack thereof. From 1951 to 2011 (60 years), the United States provided almost $67...