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.

Food Security is Rooted Abroad

Global fertilizer supply chains connect geopolitical events abroad to food production at home in ways most consumers don’t see.

The Meaning of Silence : What the moment of silence for Melissa Hortman says about American democracy

On June 14, 2025, the lives of Melissa Hortman who was a House speaker in Minnesota and her husband Mark were taken in what authorities believe to be a politically motivated act of violence. The same day Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also shot and...

Buying Injustice: The Hidden Harms of this Act.

Are we looking to create a thriving society, or are we allowing fear into the lives of immigrant families? As new immigration policies appear, the question become, how do we prevent the changes that involve separating families and dismantling the place that...

Democratic Erosion: India and the U.S.

Dec 15, 2025 | Georgia State University Perimeter College

Democratic Erosion in the United States and India Intro From 2024-2025, India’s democratic erosion is deeper because of opaque party finance, and because pressures on civil...

Buying Power: Oligarchy and Clientelism in Georgia

Dec 15, 2025 | University of Pittsburgh

In 2003, Georgia had a democratic breakthrough. The Rose Revolution ousted the remnants of the state socialist regime and transitioned Georgia into a burgeoning democracy....

Myanmar 2020 Election Fraud

May 17, 2022 | SUNY-Binghamton

Since gaining independence from British Rule, Myanmar, then known as Burma, experienced years of civil unrest between various ethnic groups. Just within 8 months after independence, the country was...

Continued Conflict in Ukraine

May 16, 2022 | SUNY-Binghamton

Continued Conflict in Ukraine As of late April, Ukraine has now been subject to this most recent military occupation by Russia for about two months. Under President Vladimir Putin, the Russian...

The Partisan Divide of American Media

May 15, 2022 | SUNY-Binghamton

On April 21st, 2022, President Joe Biden unveiled the latest program of the Department of Homeland Security, Uniting for Ukraine. Under this new program, Ukrainian refugees can receive a 2-year...

Rodrigo Duterte’s Autocratic Regime and Democratic Erosion in the Philippines

May 14, 2022 | SUNY-Binghamton

As President Rodrigo Duterte’s six-year term comes to an end, this could mean positive change for democracy in the Philippines. Duterte’s autocratic regime and his war on drugs have threatened...

The Gauche Left: Why Can’t French Leftists Place in Round 2, and Why Does It Matter?

May 14, 2022 | SUNY-Binghamton

On April 24, French President Emmanuel Macron won the second round of the French presidential election, winning both a second term in office and a second campaign against rival Marine Le Pen. The...

Do Protests Do More Harm Than Good?

May 13, 2022 | SUNY-Binghamton

It is well accepted that protests are vital for a thriving democracy. They are viewed as an avenue for social change, in fact, other than voting they are one of the few other ways to voice your...

Mexico: Politics of Performance

May 13, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

The result of the referendum was never in doubt. Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (better known as AMLO), the president of Mexico, knew this. That is why he called it. Only around 19% of those who could...

Why Are Protests in Haiti Not Working?

May 13, 2022 | SUNY-Binghamton

Whenever you read the news it seems like there is always a protest going on in Haiti. The most recent protest that took place in March addressed the rising insecurity of the country. Current...

Democratic Erosion and Minority Rights in the United States

May 12, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

The constitution, written in 1787, is considered a failproof document that lays the very foundations for democracy. The document was intended to be amendable and reconstructed throughout time....