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.

Threats to Democracy: Trump’s Appointment of Devin Nunes to Lead Intelligence Advisory Board

Feb 13, 2025 | Boston University

Although there have been numerous more significant, overarching levels of democratic erosion displayed by the Trump administration, examining the seemingly minor actions...

Strange Bedfellows? Republican Endorsements of Kamala Harris and the Choices of Democratic Gatekeepers

Feb 13, 2025 | Boston University

In the United States’ hyper-polarized political environment, endorsements that cross party lines are relatively rare. Yet in 2024, several high-profile Republicans urged...

Populism Won’t Solve Rising Housing Prices, But People Are Choosing It Over Democracy—And Democracy Should Listen

Sep 13, 2024 | Ohio State University

Every person needs somewhere to live, but in the United States that is becoming increasingly more difficult to achieve. With rent prices increasing by more than 50% in the past five years,...

Presidential Immunity’s Weakening Impact on U.S. Checks and Balances

Sep 13, 2024 | Ohio State University

The United States was founded on the idea of checks and balances and no one branch of government becoming more powerful than another. This is meant to keep the country from becoming undemocratic and...

Absence of a Primary in the U.S. 2024 Democratic Nomination: An Act of Democratic Erosion

Sep 13, 2024 | Ohio State University

In democracies, political parties play a crucial role in representing the will of the people by allowing voters to select their preferred leaders through competitive elections. Recently, in the...

Trump vs. United States: A Harbinger of Erosion?

Sep 13, 2024 | Ohio State University

Protesters at the Supreme Court - Credit Sarah Penney The Case in Question When rioters entered the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, the self-evident attempt to undermine democracy "shocked the...

Panic at the Polls: How the Words of a Leader Changed How Americans View Their Elections

Sep 13, 2024 | Ohio State University

An “I Voted” sticker is seen as a badge of honor. A symbol of one’s dedication to their country and its future leaders. A sign that someone has actively participated in their democracy. Voting is...

Is Democratic Erosion a Threat in the 2024 U.S. Election?

Sep 13, 2024 | Ohio State University

As we start the 2024 United States election cycle, campaign commercials, political slander, and discussions about immigration, healthcare, and taxation are all common. However, there’s another...

Could Packing the Supreme Court be the Beginning of the End?

Sep 13, 2024 | Ohio State University

If one day, the president of the United States decided to absolve the Supreme Court it is safe to say most citizens would be concerned about the health of the democracy. Throughout the 21st century,...

Democrats Do Away With Democratic Practices?

Sep 13, 2024 | Ohio State University

The 2024 Presidential Election has taken a form different than any in history, many elements being questionable legitimacy and ethics wise, such as the substitution of Democratic Presidential...

Trump v. United States: What Could This Mean for Democracy in the United States?

Sep 13, 2024 | Ohio State University

“With fear for our democracy, I dissent.” It is July 1, 2024, and the Supreme Court of the United States ruled on the case Trump v. United States. Liberals, like Justice Sonia Sotomayor of the above...