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.

Tunisia’s current democratic backslide

Oct 16, 2023 | Boston University

Africa as a whole has faced many challenges, notably colonization, which impeded the progress of many of its nations. The legacy of colonization persists, with numerous...

Hong Kong’s Autonomy Eroding: The Impact of the National Security Law

Oct 16, 2023 | School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

Hong Kong, once hailed for its "One country, two systems" framework that promised a high degree of autonomy in various aspects of governance, has been witnessing a gradual...

Weaponizing Anti-LGBTQ Bias: The Authoritarian’s Approach to Dismantling a Democracy

Apr 20, 2021 | American University

Piotr Grabarczyk and his boyfriend, Kamil Pawlik, arrive in Barcelona after fleeing their homeland of Poland due to intensifying anti-LGBTQ violence incited by the rhetoric of far-right president...

Idriss Deby Poised to Serve a Sixth Term

Apr 20, 2021 | American University

Chad is a country that relatively obscure to those who seldom follow African politics. A google search of Chad will produce the TV series ‘’Chad’’. However, Chad is in a very strategic location in...

Will Democracy in Myanmar Be Restored? Not Anytime Soon

Apr 20, 2021 | Boston University

On February 1, 2021, Myanmar’s military seized power and declared a one-year state of emergency after the National League for Democracy (NLD) won a landslide victory. The military backed the...

Increasing “Voter Security” Increases Impediments to Voting in the United States

Apr 19, 2021 | Boston University

The 2020 Presidential Election represents a new era in the breakdown of American Democracy. Although Joe Biden won the presidency, in many states he won by a rather slim margin contrary to what many...

Brazil’s Democracy Contracts a COVID-19 Fever

Apr 19, 2021 | American University

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s failed response to the COVID-19 pandemic cost him popular support. Now he feverishly lays the groundwork for a military coup in the event he loses the upcoming...

European Broadcasters Under Threat by Populism

Apr 19, 2021 | Rollins College

Independent, public broadcasters are important in democracies because they are meant to provide unbiased information to the public and to keep the government in check. When Slovenia gave Radio...

Earthquakes Are Not the Only Reason Haiti Is in Shambles

Apr 16, 2021 | Ursinus College

The first Caribbean nation to earn independence is now struggling to preserve democracy. While the opposition screams for change, the president demands a longer term. During his five-year...

January 6th Insurrection at the United States’ Capitol

Apr 16, 2021 | Ursinus College

On January 6th, 2021, the United States was subject to a betrayal of its democracy in a display of violent protest against the free and fair election of the 46th President of the United States....

Tanzania’s Uneven Democratic Playing Field

Apr 16, 2021 | American University

Before the death of President John Magufuli, Tanzania was transitioning into an autocratic state, hitting every hallmark for an uneven democratic playing field. Using both traditional and stealth...