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.

Brazil: Democratic Erosion and State-Sponsored Political Violence

May 2, 2023 | University of Utah

Researchers posit that increases in certain types of political violence can encourage democratic erosion. Indeed, the analysis of one research study concludes that...

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro: Petty, or a Danger to Democracy?

May 1, 2023 | University of Utah

In October 2021, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva defeated incumbent president Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil’s run-off presidential election. Months later, thousands of pro-Bolsonaro...

Recent Terror Attacks Deepen Polarization and Threaten Democracy in France

Nov 30, 2020 | Brown University

Fear, resentment and hate are making a comeback in France. Indeed, the recent terror attacks that took place in Paris, Nice and Lyon in October 2020 have reopened old wounds among the...

How Pakistan Balances the Idea of a Democracy and Military Junta

Nov 29, 2020 | Georgia State University, Georgia State University Perimeter College

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan has had military dictatorships dating back all the way to 1958, when General Ayub Khan assumed the role as the president through the countries first coup d'état....

Indian Prime Minister Modi Furthers the Divide, Both Politically and Racially

Nov 28, 2020 | University of Georgia

India’s Constitution, which came into effect in 1950, outlines the rights guaranteed to citizens in India. Similar to other democracies, this includes the right to equality, the right to...

Profits and Populism: Facebook in Indian Politics

Nov 27, 2020 | Brown University

Facebook says that it provides an essential ingredient for healthy democracies: an open, unbiased forum for public deliberation, the proverbial town square. It promises to strengthen democracy and...

Democratic Erosion in Norway: Treating a Cancer Before it Spreads

Nov 27, 2020 | Suffolk University

The Scandinavian countries have historically been some of the most robust and fruitful democracies of modern times. Each nation ranks high in many metrics of human development as well....

Increased Partisan Divide Due to 2020 Presidential Election

Nov 26, 2020 | Suffolk University

This past month, the 2020 Presidential Election took place and most of the country sat in front of the nearest news source as we eagerly waited for the results. Saturday, November...

Changes to Drug Enforcement Law in the United States Pose Challenge for Democracy

Nov 25, 2020 | Northeastern University

The United States is in the midst of a sea change in public opinion in how it approaches the issue of drug addiction. Proposed changes are not only increasing in popularity by the year but are also...

Trump’s Court Packing and Abuse of the Constitution

Nov 25, 2020 | Northeastern University

The recent appointment of Amy Coney Barret by Donald Trump was an obvious example of the not very new phenomenon of court packing. The idea of court packing, in the sense I am referring to, is...

Trump’s Undemocratic Lame-Duck Executions Must Not Be Ignored

Nov 25, 2020 | Northeastern University

Grover Cleveland was great at executing people. Nicknamed “The Buffalo Hangman” by opposing campaigns during his first run for president of the United States, Cleveland had been an executioner and...