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.

These are student blog posts written by student participants in the Democratic Erosion Course. These posts were not written by nor represent the views of the Democratic Erosion Consortium.

Food Security is Rooted Abroad

Global fertilizer supply chains connect geopolitical events abroad to food production at home in ways most consumers don’t see.

The Meaning of Silence : What the moment of silence for Melissa Hortman says about American democracy

On June 14, 2025, the lives of Melissa Hortman who was a House speaker in Minnesota and her husband Mark were taken in what authorities believe to be a politically motivated act of violence. The same day Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also shot and...

The New Future of Warfare? How Social Media is Inflating Tensions Between the U.S. and Iran.

Social media is moving to the forefront of the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran, with political elites from both sides of the conflict using social media as a weapon to fabricate narratives and generate AI videos to publicly denounce the actions of one...

First 100 Days, More Like First 100 Hours: How Trump’s First 100 Days Played Out Against Trump’s Second 100 Hours

Jun 16, 2025 | The University of Alabama

Indiana Senator Jim Banks, a staunch Trump ally, predicted that President Trump’s return to power would be characterized by “shock and awe.” In many ways, the events of...

History Repeats: Why Strong Global Defense is Key to Preventing Autocracy

Jun 4, 2025 | The University of Alabama

Dictators and autocratic forces capitalize on weak leadership, using diplomatic loopholes, and democratic erosion to expand their influence and destabilize vulnerable...

Problems Are Better Seen from the Outside: Three Reasons Why it Is Unfair to Blame Populations for Unintentionally Supporting Would-Be Autocrats

Feb 26, 2022 | University of Chicago

It is common for people to look at the destruction of foreign nations’ democratic institutions with confusion. They wonder how anyone could sit back and allow their government to be destroyed, or...

Democratic Erosion University Course Student Blog

Food Security is Rooted Abroad

The Meaning of Silence : What the moment of silence for Melissa Hortman says about American democracy

The New Future of Warfare? How Social Media is Inflating Tensions Between the U.S. and Iran.

First 100 Days, More Like First 100 Hours: How Trump’s First 100 Days Played Out Against Trump’s Second 100 Hours

History Repeats: Why Strong Global Defense is Key to Preventing Autocracy

Problems Are Better Seen from the Outside: Three Reasons Why it Is Unfair to Blame Populations for Unintentionally Supporting Would-Be Autocrats

Gerrymandering in the United States 2020 Redistricting Cycle

Ortega’s Hold on Legislative and Judicial Branches Catastrophic for Civil Liberties

Bhutan and the Roads to Its Democratic Downfall

What the Invasion of Ukraine Means for Internet Freedom in Russia

Putin’s Authoritarianism Influencing a Potential Invasion of Ukraine

The Fight for the Soul of the Republican Party Just Suffered Another Loss

Vigilante Litigation: How Greg Abbott’s Texas Legislation is Contributing to Democratic Backsliding

Belarus and Media Censorship: How Far Will Lukashenko Go?

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