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...

Still Waiting in Line: How Emotional Disconnection and Democratic Erosion Shaped the 2024 Election.

May 5, 2025 | Tulane University

The most dangerous threat to democracy is a story that convinces people they no longer need it. By weaponizing grievances, channeling emotional disconnection, and...

Trash-talking democracy to remain in power: Costa Rica’s changing political landscape

May 5, 2025 | Tulane University

The election of populist President Rodrigo Chaves in 2022 has called into question Costa Rica’s reputation for democratic stability and peaceful tradition. As reflected in...

Seizure of Voting Machines: How Far Will Executive Reach Extend?

Feb 4, 2022 | University of Chicago

After widespread claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election, recent news reveals that former President Donald J. Trump was directly involved in the development of plans to seize control of voting...

Autocracy and Imprisonment: Why Humanitarian Intervention Is Cuba’s Only Hope

Feb 4, 2022 | University of Chicago

In Ozan Varol’s Stealth Authoritarianism, one of the main conditions of authoritarianism is “rampant” corruption as well as “abuse of state resources” [1]. Regime change is deemed possible through...

Democracy and the Right to Organize: Egyptian Prosecution of Human Rights Organizations through Case 173

Feb 4, 2022 | University of Chicago

On January 22nd, 2022, Egypt’s human rights issues made headlines when Biden refused $130 million in security assistance that had originally been promised to them, citing human rights concerns. This...

Evaluating the (un)Democratic Performance of Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari

Feb 4, 2022 | University of Chicago

When All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Muhammadu Buhari defeated the incumbent Johnathan Goodluck from the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 Nigerian election, many saw the country...

Patria y Vida: The Cuban People Take a Stand

Feb 4, 2022 | University of Chicago

2021 was a historic year across the world’s democratic institutions, and not for the best reasons. There were at least five successful coups in 2021 alone (more than in all five previous years...

Violence Against Journalists in Mexico: An Attack on Freedom of Press

Feb 4, 2022 | University of Chicago

This past month, four journalists have been killed in Mexico. Last year, at least seven journalists were killed, marking an unprecedented number of deaths of journalists and reporters. Mexico has...

AOC and the Met Gala: How Elected Officials Becoming Celebrities Undermines Their Offices

Feb 4, 2022 | University of Chicago

Shining in the flash of the paparazzis’ cameras, one would think that the woman posing was a seasoned celebrity. An actress, or perhaps a pop star. In reality she was the U.S....

Consequences of Filibuster Reform in the U.S.

Feb 3, 2022 | University of Chicago

The current debate over whether to reform the filibuster in the U.S. Senate has profound implications for the strength of American democracy. The filibuster, a procedural rule which allows any...

In Israel, Can Technology Prevent Democratic Erosion?

Feb 3, 2022 | University of Chicago

In Polyarchy: Participation and Opposition, Robert Dahl posits “three necessary conditions for a democracy” [1]. Underlying all three conditions is the availability of “alternative sources of...