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.

Israel’s Judicial Reforms: A Potential Danger to Democracy?

Israel’s suggested judicial reforms pose a risk to democratic checks and balances by undermining the independence of the judiciary, centralizing executive authority, and potentially weakening democratic principles, similar to what has been observed in countries like Poland.

Arresting Opposition and Squashing Protests: Democratic Backsliding in Turkey Under Erdoğan

Turkey has been inching towards autocracy under Erdoğan and the AKP for the last 22 years.

2025 Romanian Elections: An Election Redo and a Barred Candidate

Only two weeks out from Presidential Elections, Romanian voters face a tough decision in deciding on the next leader of their country. The latest opinion polls show that nearly 40% of voters are still undecided on who to vote for. After all, most voters already cast...

Democracy in the United Kingdom: Resilient or a Recipe for Erosion?

Nov 5, 2023 | Arizona State University

As an entrenched democracy with widespread and relatively open political and social institutions, the United Kingdom might not immediately come to mind for a state that is...

Food and Democracy: Democracy-building U.S. Aid Program under Threat

Nov 5, 2023 | Arizona State University

In 2021, nearly 4 million people were assisted by the McGovern-Dole Food for Education program including 2.1 million school age children across the entire globe. Going into...

Division: A Commentary on the Political Climate of Modern Times

Apr 5, 2021 | Rollins College

PHOTOGRAPH: KENT NISHIMURA/GETTY IMAGES I recently read Ian Bremmer’s article from Time Magazine titled The U.S. Capitol Riot Was Years in the Making. Here's Why America Is So Divided. He...

The State Legislation Which You Should Be Aware Of

Apr 5, 2021 | American University

The 2020 presidential race was polarizing, extremely partisan, and brought out a lot of voters. Along with that, it occurred during a global pandemic which necessitated the use of alternatives to...

Georgia’s New Voting Law: An Expansion of Liberties or a Threat to Democracy?

Apr 5, 2021 | Rollins College

On March 25th, The Washington Post published an article titled “Georgia governor signs into law sweeping voting bill that curtails the use of drop boxes and imposes new ID requirements for mail...

Democratic Erosion in Haiti

Apr 4, 2021 | Georgia State University

Protests in Haiti, 2020. Haiti has long been in a state of revolt, as far back as the colonial age. Since Haiti declared independence in 1804, the country has had no luck in maintaining a stable...

Populist Protégé: Correa’s Plot to Rule Overseas

Apr 1, 2021 | Ursinus College

After a slight reprieve from authoritarian and populist leadership, Ecuador might see a return to the left as the current front-runner in the Ecuadorian presidential elections, Andrés Arauz, has...

It Starts in School: The Croatian Lifestyle of Corruption

Mar 31, 2021 | Georgia State University

In January of 2020, outgoing Croatian president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, who had just lost a reelection campaign, was asked a question about Croatia’s corruption problem. The president pointed a...

The WHO Handed the Chinese Government a Big Propaganda Win

Mar 31, 2021 | American University

Since the first cases of Covid-19 appeared in Wuhan, China in late 2019, politicians, epidemiologists, armchair scientists, and conspiracy theorists alike have speculated on the original vector of...

Decolonizing the Modern State

Mar 29, 2021 | American University

The modern state is often traced back to the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648. In this narrative, the current political order is tied to ideas of religious tolerance and respect for sovereignty. Those...

What Is Fueling Political Unrest in Haiti?

Mar 29, 2021 | Ursinus College

What is Happening in Haiti? For the past month, Haiti has experienced a period of political unrest brought on by questions over...