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...

Is Thailand a Democracy? Its 2023 Election Suggest Not

Nov 21, 2023 | Northeastern University

Despite not winning Thailand’s most recent election in May 2023, Srettha Thavisin of the Pheu Thai Party (PTP) became the nation’s prime minister in August. How could...

Czechia: Is Democratic Erosion Covertly at an All Time High?

Nov 21, 2023 | University of Memphis

In the heart of Central Europe, Czechia, formerly known as the Czech Republic, has long been celebrated for its rich history and democratic evolution post the Velvet...

Are Demagogues the Future of U.S. Democracy?

Oct 15, 2021 | University of Georgia

For anyone who has paid attention to U.S. politics over the past couple years, many blatant instances of democratic erosion have been hard to miss. Democratic erosion or backsliding is essentially...

How Can People Still Believe Trump Lost the Election?

Oct 15, 2021 | University of Georgia

Ever since the election in 2020, one of the common themes throughout conservative media is the “fact” that the election was stolen, and Donald Trump is the rightful president of our...

The Far-Right Returns to Germany

Oct 14, 2021 | University of Georgia

Since World War II, no far-right nationalist movement leaders have held any seats in the German parliament, but this changed during the 2017 German elections. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party...

Democratic Backsliding in Colombia

Oct 14, 2021 | University of Georgia

Colombia’s democracy has been on a decline for quite some time now. Evidence of democratic backsliding can be seen through acts of violence within the state, human rights abuses, and drug...

Potential Polexit: Will It Happen And Does It Risk Worsening Democratic Erosion in Poland?

Oct 14, 2021 | University of Georgia

Setting The Scene Poland is one of the few post-communist states which was able to gain EU membership, but ongoing undemocratic practices within the country may cause Poland to leave the EU. If...

Venezuela’s 2018 Presidential Election Shows Signs of Democratic Backsliding

Oct 14, 2021 | University of Georgia

After the death of Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez in 2013, Nicholás Maduro became the country’s president. While Maduro has been in power, the citizens of Venezuela have been enduring years...

Early Signs of Democratic Backsliding in Relation to the Covid-19 Pandemic

Oct 14, 2021 | University of Georgia

Caleb Cloud Democratic backsliding is best understood as the opposite of democratization or the loss of democratic institutions. This is happening today in countries one would not expect. This can...

Stealth Authoritarianism for Georgia Voters

Oct 14, 2021 | University of Georgia

By Humayra Bramblett When defining democracy, the right to vote can be considered one of its key features. Yet in the past decade, the right to vote has become a privilege rather than an inherent...

Chileans Have Lived Under the Shadow of a Dictator for 40 Years

Oct 14, 2021 | University of Georgia

Now they are changing that by rewriting their constitution In 1973, a military junta lead by General Augusto Pinochet took power in Chile by military force. After 7 years of rule, in 1980, Pinochet...