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...

Buying Injustice: The Hidden Harms of this Act.

Are we looking to create a thriving society, or are we allowing fear into the lives of immigrant families? As new immigration policies appear, the question become, how do we prevent the changes that involve separating families and dismantling the place that...

The U.S. & Cuba: Presidentialism Unchecked

May 14, 2025 | James Madison University

In Thomas Pepinsky's intriguing essay, “America Is a Normal Country: Presidentialism Can Break It, Exceptionalism Won’t Save It,” he challenges American exceptionalism with...

Authoritarianism in Singapore: Challenging Narratives of a Benevolent British Empire

May 14, 2025 | James Madison University

Britons are feeling nostalgic for empire. In response to a 2019 YouGov survey asking Britons to indicate whether countries that were formerly colonized by Britain were...

Spot the Difference and Other Games Georgia Voters Find Themselves Playing Ahead of Critical Elections

Feb 14, 2022 | Ohio State University

In the summer of 2021, Georgia governor Brian Kemp signed into law a series of voting restrictions destined to impact citizen turnout in all upcoming state and federal elections. This legislation...

Does Gerrymandering Present a Lasting Threat to Democracy?

Feb 14, 2022 | Ohio State University

While the United States advertises itself as a representative democracy, many voters question the degree to which the United States achieves the democratic ideals of this system. At the forefront of...

Brought to Limelight: How the Pandemic Increased Democratic Backsliding in the USA

Feb 14, 2022 | Ohio State University

Democracy was already backsiding in many countries before the pandemic, and the United States is no exception. However, the pandemic brought forth already existing problems from its polarizing...

Voting Rights Reforms Killed in Senate

Feb 14, 2022 | Ohio State University

Joe Biden’s first year in office, with respect to his domestic efforts, can be characterized by its unshakable partisan gridlock. This is certainly not a new feature of the modern American...

The Big Lie Is About to Score a Big Steal: The 2024 Presidential Election

Feb 14, 2022 | Ohio State University

It has been over a year since this image was burned into the minds of Americans. Many remember the revolting pictures of flames and smoke looming over the Capitol on the evening of January 6th,...

“Election Integrity” in Arizona: How Proposed Legislation Would Threaten Democracy

Feb 14, 2022 | Ohio State University

Following the 2020 election, Republican-controlled state legislatures across the country have pushed for restrictive voting measures and other changes to the electoral process. Proponents of these...

Bye-Bye Bipartisanship: The End of Toleration in the Republican Party

Feb 14, 2022 | Boston University

On February 4th, 2022 U.S. Representatives Liz Cheney (R-WY) and Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) were formally censured by the Republican National Committee for their involvement with the Democrat-led House...

Censures, Denials, and the GOP’s Legitimization of Capitol Riots

Feb 14, 2022 | Ohio State University

The storming of the Capitol and attempted insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021 was perhaps the most immediate and explicit threat to the United States’ democracy in recent history. In its aftermath, key...

Roe v. Wade: The Fate of Democracy through the Lens of a Landmark Case

Feb 14, 2022 | Ohio State University

Within the framework of the Constitution, careful attention is allocated to the three branches of government. American politicians elevate checks and balances or counterbalancing influences by which...