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.

Democratic Erosion Causes In Israel

Oct 17, 2023 | Boston University

An analysis of democratic backsliding in Israel that have led to today This post analyzes the structures from both a societal standpoint and a structural standpoint in...

The Price of Populists in Power: a Look Back at Benjamin Netanyahu’s Populist Attitudes in Light of Israel’s Recent Tragedy

Oct 17, 2023 | Boston University

Benjamin Netanyahu has single-handedly been eroding his country’s democracy since he came into power. He is the country’s longest-serving prime minister, representing a...

Will There Really Be Elections in Palestine?

May 3, 2021 | Georgia State University Perimeter College

The world received some excellent news just this past year, in February 2020. President Mahmoud Abbas has vowed to hold...

Democratic Erosion in the United States: Protest

May 3, 2021 | Georgia State University

Within the United States constitution, the first amendment prohibits any law limiting freedom with respect to religion, expression, peaceful assembly, or the right of citizens to petition the...

Rigged Elections: Struggles in Serbia Help Show Legitimacy in the United States’ 2020 Election

May 3, 2021 | Georgia State University Perimeter College

There have been numerous claims that the 2020 election results were rigged or fraudulent. Many Americans now believe their democratic systems are falling apart, and that those that have been put...

Duterte’s Legacy: Populism in the Philippines

May 1, 2021 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

In 2016, Rodrigo Duterte won the presidential election with an astonishing 16 million votes beating the other four challengers. Despite his rape jokes, death threats, and various obscenities during...

COVID-19 and How It Aggravated the Philippines’ Eroding Democracy

May 1, 2021 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

The COVID-19 pandemic is probably the greatest shock of the century. To slow down the spread of the virus, the only options were to restrict movement and pause economic activities. In the...

Democractic Erosion in the West Bank

Apr 30, 2021 | Georgia State University Perimeter College

Since the 1967 War Israel has had control over the West Bank and the Palestinian community that resides within it. Due to the lack of civil liberties and human rights for Palestinian people the West...

Democratic Erosion in Argentina

Apr 30, 2021 | Georgia State University

Democratic roots of Argentina Argentina today has in my opinion a very volatile democracy history; they are a federal constitutional republic with a representative democracy. Argentina has been a...

The Growth of Populism in El Salvador

Apr 30, 2021 | Georgia State University

El Salvador has had a difficult history when it comes to obtaining democracy in the country. They have been at the hands of multiple oppressive regimes since their independence and the first...

Democratic Erosion in Nigeria

Apr 30, 2021 | Georgia State University

Nigeria's connection with democracy has had the same exact makeup of a bad relationship. In the year of 1959 elections were held under the adopted “Westminster'' model of democracy but the country...