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 blogs reflect the views of the student authors, and not those of the Democratic Erosion Consortium.

History Repeats: Why Strong Global Defense is Key to Preventing Autocracy

A strong and consistent global defense by democratic nations is crucial to preventing the rise of autocratic regimes, as history shows—from the Cold War doctrines to the failed democratization of Afghanistan—that without committed follow-through and structural reform, authoritarian forces will exploit weaknesses and reclaim power.

Women in Political Dynasties: The Illusion of Choice and Democratic Erosion in the Philippines

Political dynasties have long controlled Philippine politics, with powerful families passing down leadership positions across generations. Despite the imposition of term limits discouraging dynastic rule, these families have found their way around the constitutional...

From Stardom to Senate: The Alarming Trend of Celebrity Politics in the Philippines

The intersection of celebrity and politics in the Philippines is nothing new. The phenomenon of celebrity politicians—actors, athletes, and other public figures who go from the big screen or stage to the corridors of power—has become a defining aspect of the country's...

Trump’s Weaponized Communication during the Pandemic

Nov 21, 2023 | University of Memphis

The global epidemic in 2020 was disastrous, costing the globe dearly. The United States, in particular, struggled. President Trump was in office during Covid-19. His...

Did the USA Patriot Act Cause Democratic Backsliding in the US?

Nov 21, 2023 | University of Memphis

Following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States’ World Trade Center in New York City, New...

Cloaked in Democracy by Gideon X Melvin

Dec 11, 2020 | Georgia State University Perimeter College

So why is Zimbabwe still not a bastion for democracy? The white minority rulers were overthrown in 1979 after a guerilla uprising that cleared the way for free and fair elections and the rise of...

Sectarian Politics in Lebanon and Its Relevance to Democracy

Dec 11, 2020 | American University

Lebanon was created by colonialism, which began with the collapse of the Ottoman Empire following World War 1. At the end of the war, in 1920 the League of Nations officially granted France a...

The Failure of Political Parties: Institutions As Gatekeepers in Indonesia’s Democratic System

Dec 11, 2020 | American University

Although many assume democracies die “at the hands of men with guns,” Levitsky and Ziblatt (2018) stress that there are “other ways to break a democracy”, less dramatic but equally effective, via...

Democracy in the Age of Surveillance Capitalism

Dec 11, 2020 | Sabanci University

I believe almost all the casual inferences behind Donald Trump’s victory in 2016 are investigated by your intellectual insight. There might be nothing to investigate left since most of the big...

The Art of the Smear: Georgia Senate 2020

Dec 10, 2020 | Brown University

As tensions rise leading up to the second most important election of the year, citizen discernment and polarization play a crucial role. It’s a late summer evening and I’m standing by the entrance...

The Dark Shadow of Trump’s Lawsuits

Dec 10, 2020 | University of Georgia

Over a month after the Nov. 3 2020 General Election, Donald Trump is still refusing to admit that he lost the election to president-elect Joe Biden. As recently as today, Dec. 10 2020, Trump is...

Government Content Moderation Could Strengthen U.S. Democracy

Dec 10, 2020 | Brown University

Spread over six floors, thousands of employees stare at their computer screens scanning Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube in the middle of a traffic-clogged city. This is a content moderation center,...

Democratic Dilemmas: Democracy in Mexico

Dec 10, 2020 | Georgia State University Perimeter College

For democracy to thrive, its major parts must be balanced, and its citizens must be educated. For democracy to thrive, it must be protected. Mexico faces a dilemma: an eroding democracy....

A New Brand of Autocratic Consolidation: A Case Study in Ethiopia

Dec 10, 2020 | University of Georgia

A new brand of Autocratic Consolidation: A Case Study in Ethiopia He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019, but Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is now on the cusp of dealing with a civil...