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.

The Alienations of Muslims in the World’s Largest Democracy

Oct 23, 2023 | Boston University

India is the world's largest democracy; in fact, it recently gained the title of being the world's largest country by population, and fortunately such a nation happens to...

Gender inequality decline the Democracy in India

Oct 23, 2023 | School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

Democracy is not merely a form of government but also a way of life, an order of society, a way of social and economic relations, and above all, a belief system (Saikia...

Alexander Lukashenko: Architect of Democratic Erosion in Belarus

Oct 13, 2021 | University of Georgia

Elected in 1994, Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko has consolidated an alarmingly substantial amount of power using Belarus’ democratic institutions to undermine his political opponents and...

Belarus: The 2020 Presidential Election and Democratic Decline

Oct 13, 2021 | University of Georgia

In recent years, the Republic of Belarus has become a pertinent example of democratic backsliding in Eastern Europe. Nowhere was this clearer than during the 2020 Belarusian presidential election...

Should Foreign Governments Intervene to “Protect” and “Promote” Democracy? If So, When?

Oct 13, 2021 | University of Georgia

Should foreign governments intervene to "protect" and "promote" democracy? If so, when? A big idea behind promoting democracy is “Liberal Democratic Peace Theory”. "Liberal Democratic...

Stealth Authoritarianism in Hungary

Oct 13, 2021 | University of Georgia

Stealth authoritarianism, as explained by Ozan Varol, is a relatively new concept in international affairs discourse (Varol 2015). Before the cold war authoritarianism was obvious; few efforts were...

Populism and Increasing Polarization in the United States

Oct 13, 2021 | University of Georgia

The United States is more populist than we think. Populism is on the rise, and many Americans have neglected the influence of populist leaders. The growth in populism is a main contributor in the...

Populism and Dissolving Democracy in Poland

Oct 12, 2021 | University of Georgia

The PiS is Taking Over The PiS (Polish Law & Justice Party) was founded by Jarosław Kaczyński and his twin brother Lech Kaczyński. Not long after the party’s creation, Jarosław Kaczyński became...

Argentina’s Democratic Backsliding

Oct 12, 2021 | University of Georgia

DEMOCRATIC BACKGROUND Argentina today has quite the roller-coaster experience with democracy. The government of Argentina, viewed through the framework of a federal system, is a presidential...

Trump’s Threat to Sue Shows How America’s Democracy is Eroding

Oct 12, 2021 | University of Georgia

Effects of the Capitol riot on January 6th, 2021 are still being felt by the United States’ people. As the Biden administration gets settled, inquiries into the riot have begun. Specifically, the...

The Role of Civilian and Military Relations Within the United States Government

Oct 12, 2021 | University of Georgia

Civilian control of the military is a precedent set forth by the United States constitution. The appropriation of funds by Congress as well as the Presidents title of commander in chief are examples...