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.

Arresting Opposition and Squashing Protests: Democratic Backsliding in Turkey Under Erdoğan

Turkey has been inching towards autocracy under Erdoğan and the AKP for the last 22 years.

2025 Romanian Elections: An Election Redo and a Barred Candidate

Only two weeks out from Presidential Elections, Romanian voters face a tough decision in deciding on the next leader of their country. The latest opinion polls show that nearly 40% of voters are still undecided on who to vote for. After all, most voters already cast...

Why Protecting American Democracy Means Coming Together In Protest

In the lead up to the 2020 presidential election, the Democratic Erosion Consortium's very own professors Robert Blair and Steven Rosenzweig wrote an article in The Boston Globe urging readers to “Get ready to protest like democracy depends on it.” The article was in...

The Subtle Threat: Unraveling the Power of Propaganda in Modern Democracies

Feb 27, 2024 | American University

In today's complex information landscape, the insidious influence of propaganda poses a significant threat to the health of democracies worldwide. While often overlooked or...

Democratic Erosion in Bolivia

Feb 27, 2024 | William Jewell College

The story of democratic erosion in Bolivia is not a normal case of democratic erosion. Often in analyzing democratic erosion, there is a clear cause and effect. The Bolivia...

Victory of Populism: Belarus

Jan 17, 2022 | Koç University

Although populism, whose word originates from Latin, has become one of the most used concepts in today's politics, Cambridge Dictionary declared populism the word of the year in 2017. In addition to...

Politics of Emotion and Populist Nostalgia in Brazil

Jan 16, 2022 | Koç University

Democracy is facing serious challenges. Authoritarian politicians are gaining more power and the democratic indicators are declining in various parts of the world, showing certain patterns in...

Spain: A Totalitarian Foothold in Europe Again

Jan 9, 2022 | Koç University

Spain insists that the Francoist era is long gone and buried. Despite the broad recognition of the harm endured under the nacional-sindicalista, Spain is again haunted by the shadow of...

How Did Covid-19 Strengthen the Anti-Immigrant Ideology in Italy?

Jan 9, 2022 | Koç University

Italy has been one of the countries that heavily suffered from the impacts of Covid-19. The serious consequences of this deadly disease were not only felt in the health sector, Italy’s economy...

Senegal’s Heart Beats in Jail: Ousmane Sonko

Jan 7, 2022 | Koç University

Senegal was shaken by the most violent protests in its recent history at the beginning of March. After the arrest of Ousmane Sonko, a member of parliament and major opposition leader, the protests...

The Effects of COVID-19 on the Democratic Backslide in The Philippines

Jan 6, 2022 | Koç University

The detrimental effects of COVID-19 have been prevalent globally however, it is also observed to be contributing to the continuing democratic backslide in the Philippines. Through the guise of...

The Most Polarized Chilean General Elections: Will Democratic Backsliding Be Halted by Gabriel Boric Winning in 2021?

Jan 5, 2022 | Koç University

On November 21, 2021, Chile conducted general elections, which included presidential, parliamentary, and regional elections. The general elections were conducted in the midst of a democratic...

Political Crisis Ascended After Interim President of Bolivia Jeanine Ánez Got Arrested

Jan 5, 2022 | Koç University

Jeanine Ánez, the interim president after Evo Morales' resignation in 2019, was arrested in Bolivia. She is charged with "terrorism" and "incitement to riot" in the investigation of “Coup...

The Loss of Liberty and Order in Colombia

Dec 20, 2021 | Suffolk University

The Republic of Colombia has a history riddled with conflict, violence, and injustices. Throughout the last two centuries, they've fallen from democracy and made their way back on multiple...