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 blogs reflect the views of the student authors, and not those of the Democratic Erosion Consortium.

Women in Political Dynasties: The Illusion of Choice and Democratic Erosion in the Philippines

Political dynasties have long controlled Philippine politics, with powerful families passing down leadership positions across generations. Despite the imposition of term limits discouraging dynastic rule, these families have found their way around the constitutional...

From Stardom to Senate: The Alarming Trend of Celebrity Politics in the Philippines

The intersection of celebrity and politics in the Philippines is nothing new. The phenomenon of celebrity politicians—actors, athletes, and other public figures who go from the big screen or stage to the corridors of power—has become a defining aspect of the country's...

Strong Parental Guidance?: How Film Censorship in the Philippines Affects Democracy

While cinema is often dismissed as mere entertainment, censoring it poses significant threats to information accessibility and, by extension, to democracy.

Politics and Populism Brazil: Increasing Polarization

May 1, 2025 | Featured, University of Memphis

Populism has played an important role in the shaping of Brazilian politics over the past century. An approach that pits "the people" against "the elite," populism thrives...

Populist or President… ?

May 1, 2025 | University of Memphis

Populist or President… ? Donald Trump is significantly taking us backward.With the growing centralization of wealth and...

Democratic Backsliding in the Philippines

https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/online-exclusive/the-son-also-rises/

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

Rodrigo Duterte's presidency from 2016 to 2022 launched the Philippines into political turmoil and democratic backsliding, taking similar actions to the authoritarian ruler Ferdinand Marcos....

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: How Does This Affect Democracy?

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

Now more than ever we can see that our “democracy,” initiatives and plans are under siege and fire. Currently, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives are under attack and are affecting...

Power to the People: Art and the Absence of Democracy

https://www.mfa.org/exhibition/power-of-the-people-art-and-democracy

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

From October 26, 2024-February 17th 2025 the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts premiered the exhibit Power to the people: Art and Democracy in hopes of showing the Promise, the Practice,...

Notes On A Post-DOGE America

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

The last few weeks of American governance have come as a massive surprise to vast swathes of the American public. Among the various events that have rocked the American Political Circus: the...

Executive Order 14171: A Deceptive Tool for Democratic Erosion

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

On January 20, 2025, Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States, marking the beginning of his second term in the Oval Office. That day, he signed a myriad of...

Netanyahu’s Not-So-Stealthy Authoritarianism

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

Long considered to be the “Middle East’s only democracy,” Israel as it stands today is a shell of the idealistic Jewish utopia its Zionist founder once envisioned. The Israeli government has been...

Erosion of Taboos: The Dangers of the AfD Party

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

Less than two weeks away from the crucial elections in Germany, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has endorsed Alice Weidel, the chancellor candidate of the far-right political group Alternative...

Trump’s January 6 Pardons

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

Donald Trump's pardoning of roughly 1,500 criminal defendants charged from the January 6th insurrection is a dangerous step in undermining American democracy and freedom. It reveals deeper concerns...

The Fear of Losing Family: Donald Trumps Controversial Immigration Policies

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

Image From: Chicago Council of Global Affairs Since he first ran for office in 2016, one of Donald Trump's biggest concerns was clear: illegal immigration. President Trump has won millions of votes...