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.

The house is burning from the inside out: American democracy is dying

” There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide” - James Adams. If the average empire fails at 250 years and America is 248 years old, could we say that the death of democracy was something foreseeable and the uprise in authoritarian form of government...

Demagogues: Turning America into the Child Left Behind

The emergence of technofascist demagogues in American politics pose a significant threat to democracy and education, highlighting the urgent need for critical thinking and informed choices to protect the nation’s future.

Germany’s Defense of Democracy

Populism is rising in Germany, with the far-right political party, Alternative for Germany, gaining more and more popularity that echo dangerous anti-democratic trends from Germany, raising concerns about the future of Germany’s democracy.

The Disbandment of Hong Kong’s Democratic Party: An Example of Authoritarian Consolidation

Apr 13, 2025 | Boston University

On April 13th, 2025, Hong Kong’s largest pro-democracy party, the Democratic Party, voted to begin dissolving itself. Over 90% of the party’s remaining members backed the...

Why Estonia’s decision to disenfranchise non-EU citizens is doing more harm than good

Apr 9, 2025 | Tartu University

On the 26 of March, the Estonian parliament (the Riigikogu) passed a constitutional amendment to remove the rights to vote in local elections for non-EU residents (Kangro,...

Not an Isolated Incident: Police Brutality, Extremism and Xenophobia in Greece

Nov 2, 2024 | Ohio State University

The arrest and death of Muhammad Kamran Ashiq in police custody in Greece was a tragedy. While the Greek government and Athens police may attribute his death as a rare case, Ashiq's death reveals...

A Decade of Erosion Paints an Unfortunate Picture for Indonesian Democracy as Subianto Takes Office

Oct 30, 2024 | Ohio State University

As of October 20, 2024, Indonesia has a new president. Prabowo Subianto’s political history is anything but ordinary, as he was able to assume the highest office despite his past involvement with...

The Unraveling of Bulgarian Democracy

Oct 30, 2024 | Ohio State University

Bulgaria saw massive protests in 2020 against Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and his administration. These demonstrated the democratic backsliding that had been occurring since the mid-2010s. Jana...

Honduras: How Populism Lead to the Removal of the Extradition Treaty

Oct 30, 2024 | Ohio State University

Honduras has struggled with gang violence and, therefore, drug trafficking since the fall of Dictator-Military Leader Rafael López Gutiérrez from 1924. To this day, Honduras efforts to dismantle the...

Party Labels and the Courts: Ohio’s Shift Toward a Partisan Judiciary

Oct 16, 2024 | Ohio State University

On September 4th, I attended an Ohio College Democrats’ meeting and listened to Judge Lisa Forbes speak. She is currently running for a seat on the Ohio Supreme Court as a Democrat against her...

City Council: A Perfect Storm for Democratic Erosion

Oct 16, 2024 | Ohio State University

When it comes to the city council, how much do they do? What are the inner workings of a city’s council? What are the positions of the members of the city council? Are city councils even important?...

Redrawing the Lines: Issue 1, Political Polarization between Ohio Voters

Oct 14, 2024 | Ohio State University

Through the Franklin County Democratic party, I had the opportunity to participate in several canvasing events this past month. On October 11th and 12th I canvased the Clintonville and...

Duking-it-Out: How an Ohio Group Promotes Dialogue in their Polarized Community

Oct 14, 2024 | Ohio State University

The League of Women Voters of Northern Portage County (LWVNPC), a small, hyperlocal voting rights and civic engagement group, operates at the edge of the Cleveland suburbs, where cul-de-sacs bleed...

How Changes To Columbus’s LEAP Program Demonstrate the Strength’s Of Our Democratic System

Oct 13, 2024 | Ohio State University

Lead exposure is an urgent issue in Ohio. These last two weeks I had the opportunity to watch the Columbus City Council meeting discussing Columbus’ initiative to replace all lead pipes in the city...