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 Democratic Backslide: The Kais Saied Era and the Perilous Road to Electoral Autocracy

Oct 12, 2023 | School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

In the aftermath of the Arab Spring, Tunisia emerged as a beacon of hope for democracy in the Middle East. It was hailed as the success story, the nation where popular...

Democratization and Federalism in Myanmar: Shifting Power Dynamics after the 2021 Military Coup

Oct 11, 2023 | School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

Introduction Myanmar's struggle for democracy and federalism has spanned 75 years since its independence in 1948, and it remains an ongoing challenge. The country requires...

France’s Controversial Security Bill and Police Violence

Jan 8, 2021 | Koç University

In October 2020, a bill called “global security” was proposed in France, which was highly controversial and triggered major protests that turned violent. Although several articles of the draft have...

The Texas Voter: How the Second Biggest State in the Union Has Helped Subvert Democracy

Jan 6, 2021 | University of Denver

The 2020 Presidential election has been unique in its placement in our history in just about every possible way. From the impeachment of the president running for reelection to a pandemic that’s...

“Only Some People Are Really The People:” Populism and Patriarchy

Jan 6, 2021 | University of Denver

Populist rhetoric has always been gendered. It’s always been divisive. Yet, this division justifies and is weaponized by populism itself. Renowned Political Scientists Jan-Werner Muller and Cas...

Democratic Erosion and LGBT+ Rights in Uganda

Jan 5, 2021 | University of Denver

I. Introduction Uganda is an exemplary case of the democratic erosion that typifies a number of nations in Sub-Saharan...

The Court of Last Resort: The Supreme Court and The Role of the Judiciary in Democratic Erosion

Jan 5, 2021 | University of Denver

When liberal icon, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, died at the age of 87, less than two months before an already contentious and dramatic presidential election, the future of the United...

Belarus: An Eye to Russia

Dec 20, 2020 | James Madison University

Since the first and only legitimate election in 1994, dictator Alexander Lukashenko has ruled Belarus with an iron grip. Historically apathetic to politics, Belarusians responded to the fraudulent...

The End of the Regime But the Continuation of Anti-Blackness: The Fallacies of Dominican Democracy Brought to Light

Dec 18, 2020 | Suffolk University

The year 2020 has seen the democratic fallacies of one particular nation unraveled in front of the eyes of its citizens, all within the premises of a presidential election. Acts of political...

Facebook’s Threat to Democracy: Adapting to the Times

Dec 18, 2020 | Georgia State University

Over the past few years, Facebook has faced considerable backlash. The tech giant, run by Mark Zuckerberg, has garnered notoriety for its sketchy corporate practices. These include the Cambridge...