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.

Bolivian Opposition Leader Fernando Camacho’s Arrest Exemplifies Bolivia’s Polarization

May 3, 2023 | University of Utah

On December 28, 2023, prominent Bolivian right-wing opposition leader Fernando Camacho was arrested in the city of Santa Cruz on terrorism charges. Camacho’s arrest...

Japan, The United States, and Democracy: A Push into Modernization

May 3, 2023 | University of Utah

Democracy is what the United States prides itself on and the very base of every political decision, using it as justification for foreign affairs like Afghanistan,...

Democracy vs. Disease: Rwanda’s Effective Response to COVID-19

Dec 9, 2020 | Williams College

Above the streets of Rwanda’s capital Kigali, police drones blare reminders to socially distance and wear masks. At intersections, citizens are randomly tested and placed into a government-run...

How Asymmetric Polarization in the Media Ecosystem Drives Democratic Erosion

Dec 9, 2020 | Williams College

A grandfather, estranged from his family and relatives, unable to visit his grandchildren because their parents worry about his growing vitriol. A daughter who rarely visits home any longer, save...

Social Media and Mass Mobilization in Algeria

Dec 9, 2020 | Williams College

In February 2019, Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika declared his intention to run for a fifth term. This message was released through state media as Bouteflika could no longer make public...

What Makes Canadian Democracy So Resilient?

Dec 9, 2020 | Williams College

For some Americans, Canada appears to be a liberal—albeit slightly cold—utopia. While at the national level U.S. politics has fallen into dysfunction at best and downright authoritarianism at worst,...

Future of the Republic of China

Dec 9, 2020 | Suffolk University

The sign slogan reads "Three Principles of the People Will Unite China" and is located on Dadan Island, facing towards Mainland China. On the 10th of October, 2020, the Republic of China, commonly...

Analyzing the Media’s Role in President Trump’s Victory and Era

Dec 9, 2020 | University of Chicago

Mass Media were active participants, not simply unwilling instruments, to the rise and reign of United States President Donald Trump.Mylon Shalom Patton We as a nation are about to turn the page...

The Media as an Institution of Manipulation: From Direct and Legal Control to Indirect and Extralegal Manipulation

Dec 9, 2020 | Sabanci University

There are several discussions on the existing regime type of Turkey, but the recent literature and several democracy indicators treat Turkey as a competitive authoritarian regime. Like all...

Ethnic Oppression of Bulgarian Roma

Dec 9, 2020 | Williams College

Bulgaria, named an European Union (EU) member state in 2007, has been witnessing signs of democratic backsliding consistently since then. A strong democracy is one that respects all its people...

The Demise of Democracy: Threat of Autocracy in El Salvador

Dec 8, 2020 | Williams College

The scene in El Salvador’s legislature in February 2020 appeared to come straight out of a dictatorship: Armed Forces and National Civil Police troops armed with rifles and gear were ordered to...