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.

Guatemalan mass protests question if populism is all bad

Oct 17, 2023 | Boston University

On October 2nd, mass citizen protests erupted in Guatemala related to Attorney General Maria Consuelo Porras’s efforts to undermine the results of the country’s recent...

The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Rise of Right-Wing Populism: Democratic Erosion in Spain, Italy, and Sweden

Oct 17, 2023 | Boston University

The COVID-19 pandemic has globally affected many things, one of which is the powers that hold congressional power in many countries. Many countries with democracies or core...

The Conservative Hijack of Indian Civil Society

May 6, 2021 | American University

Hindu nationalism has grown exponentially in India over the past few years. This rise is also visible in Indian politics with the massive electoral victories of Narendra Modi. Yet, the organization...

How the Police and National Guard Are Curtailing Civil Liberties in the United States

May 6, 2021 | Georgia State University

On April 16, 2021, residents of Minneapolis, Minnesota were shocked to find convoys of tanks rolling into their town, as well as lines of National Guard soldiers standing in front of boarded-up...

The Subtle but Vicious Undoing of Philippine Democracy

May 6, 2021 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

Six years ago, Duterte campaigned for his “war on drugs'' and up to date, almost 12,000 have been killed in the impoverished urban areas of the Philippines. In another context, human rights...

Gender Equality in Pakistan: How the Maltreatment of Women Is Undermining the Basic Fundamentals of a Potential Democracy in Pakistan

May 5, 2021 | Georgia State University

Imagine only half of a country’s population is treated equally. Only half of the population has fair and equal access to education and fundamental human rights. Only half of the population is...

Democratic Erosion University Course Student Blog

Donald Trump the Nazi Reincarnate?: Godwin’s Law and How This Phenomenon is Counterproductive to Understanding Democratic Erosion

The Russia-Ukraine War Bodes Poorly for Democracy, But Not in the Way You Think

The Trump Administration’s Attack on USAID

Guatemalan mass protests question if populism is all bad

The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Rise of Right-Wing Populism: Democratic Erosion in Spain, Italy, and Sweden

The Conservative Hijack of Indian Civil Society

How the Police and National Guard Are Curtailing Civil Liberties in the United States

The Subtle but Vicious Undoing of Philippine Democracy

Gender Equality in Pakistan: How the Maltreatment of Women Is Undermining the Basic Fundamentals of a Potential Democracy in Pakistan

Corruption, Lies, and Albanias’ fight for Democracy

Brazil’s Polarization, Bolsonaro’s Pleasure

Milorad Dodik: Converting Nationalism into Power

Burmese Call for International Intervention

Cuba’s Privatization May Not Be a Step Towards Democracy

Join Our Listserv