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...

When Democracy Erodes, LGBTQ+ Rights Are the First to Suffer

May 1, 2025 | Tulane University

When democratic norms break down, the most vulnerable communities suffer first, and most deeply. In the United States, recent political shifts have exposed just how fragile...

The Ruling Family: How Political Dynasties Are Destroying Democracy in the Philippines

May 1, 2025 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

Same names, same problems. In every Philippine election, the same names dominate the ballots—Marcos, Duterte, Tolentino, Tulfo, Cayetano, Villar, and Revilla. Over 70% of...

How Did Poor Leadership Cause Democratic Erosion in India

Dec 17, 2021 | Georgia State University

India first became a democratic country over 70 years ago, when they gained independence from the British colonial rule. However, in 2014 is when the country started to face heightened fear of...

El Salvador’s Democracy Is in a State of Decline: President Bukele’s Assault Rages On

Dec 17, 2021 | Suffolk University

In early November 2021, President Nayib Bukele sent troops to patrol the streets of the capital of the state, San Salvador. There was a sharp rise in murders that week which caused the President to...

Lukashenko’s Fabricated Crisis on the EU border Backfires: What Is the Russian Reaction?

Dec 16, 2021 | Suffolk University

(Image Source: Photo by James Hill | The New York Times, modified by Nicholas Cook under Fair Use) This November, Alexander Lukashenko, Belarussian "President" and strongman reached a new low in his...

The Birth of A New Democracy

Dec 12, 2021 | Georgia State University

Have you ever witnessed the fall of a dictatorship and the birth of a democracy? Well, that is exactly what transpired less than a decade ago with the Arab Spring Revolution. The Arab Spring...

The Role of Social Media in Democracy

Dec 9, 2021 | Suffolk University

Social media has become a tool in everyday life for most people. Used as a news source, to keep track of politicians’ opinions on Twitter, or for mobilization, social media serves a multitude of...

Asylum: A Call to Action

Dec 9, 2021 | Suffolk University

An asylee is an alien in the United States or at a port of entry who is most likely found to be unable or willing to return to his or her country of origin or may be seeking the protection...

Linguistic Divisions: Lasting Impacts of Colonialism in Cameroon

Dec 9, 2021 | Suffolk University

Cameroon is a country facing three major humanitarian emergencies: the Anglophone Crisis/Ambazonia Civil War, conflict with the terrorist organization Boko Haram in the Far North, and a massive...

Erdogan’s Backtracking on Diplomat Expulsion Shows Weakened State of Turkish Leader

Dec 9, 2021 | University of Utah

Erdogan speaks at a press conference in Ankara, Turkey, Nov. 17, 2021. (Burhan Ozbilici/AP) In a speech on Saturday, October 23, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to expel...

US Democracy Summit Brings Hope for the Future and Reminders of the Past

Dec 9, 2021 | Suffolk University

This week the U.S. will hold a two-day international Summit For Democracy— and in true American democratic fashion, this is an invite-only affair, with 100 of the world’s top democratic nations and...