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.

President Trump Attacks News Agencies Through Legal Means

President Trump has been attacking our democracy through legal means by suing news agencies and journalist.

The SAVE Act, Voter Suppression, and Erosion in the US

Conservatives are championing the SAVE Act as a way to combat voter fraud, but what about when it enforces voter suppression?

Hungary: A Case Study of Democratic Backsliding in the European Union

Hungary’s gradual democratic backsliding under Viktor Orbán demonstrates how legal reforms, centralized executive power, and weakened institutional checks can erode democracy from within, turning a once-promising post-communist transition into a partially free, delegative system

Trump’s Call to Nationalize Elections: An Insult to Democracies Everywhere

Feb 13, 2026 | Boston University

In what has been a polarizing series of comments, president Donald Trump has recently gone on record expressing his strong desire to “nationalize” elections in the US. Trump...

Germany’s Firewall: A Successful Lesson on Elite Gatekeeping

Feb 13, 2026 | Boston University, Featured

The recent rise of radical right-wing party Alternative for Germany (AfD) has raised serious concerns about democratic backsliding in Germany. Founded in 2013, the party has...

Russia fueling Democratic Struggles in Romania through the Media

Apr 24, 2025 | University of Memphis

In November of 2024, Romanian politician Călin Georgescu was accused of receiving help from Russia through the global media platform TikTok, to influence Romanian elections. Here's a breakdown of...

The Gavel, Not The Gun: How Viktor Orbán Reinvented Backsliding

Apr 24, 2025 | Tulane University

On April 3rd, 2022, after polls predicted he would win by a 5-point margin, Viktor Orbán and his party, Fidesz, secured their fourth consecutive election victory with a supermajority in parliament,...

Executive Power: The Growing Threat to Democracy

Apr 23, 2025 | University of Memphis

Executive Power: The Growing Threat to Democracy We have learned about it, and if you are a citizen of the United States of America, you have lived in it all your life. When it comes to democracy,...

Will the Measles Outbreak turn into Another Pandemic Similar to Covid-19?

Apr 21, 2025 | University of Memphis

Will the measles outbreak turn into another pandemic similar to Covid-19? We all remember how Covid-19 shut the world down. It affected every facet of our lives. If the measles outbreak leads to...

Is Trump Tariff-en off Congress?

Apr 21, 2025 | Boston University

When the United States Constitution was created, the founders were wary of an overly powerful executive branch. To avoid the possibility of a future president overstepping their power, they baked in...

Demagogues: Turning America into the Child Left Behind

Apr 20, 2025 | University of Memphis

Image Source: Getty Images/ABC News The loud, proud American trope has been a stereotype that Americans have worn proudly on their sleeves. This image, both a source of laughter and slight fear, has...

Americas Political Polarization Problem

Apr 20, 2025 | Boston University

Polarization in the United States no longer serves democracy, but instead serves as a tool for those in power. Instead of increasing political polarization and allowing diverse opinions in politics,...

Germany’s Defense of Democracy

Apr 20, 2025 | University of Memphis, Featured

With the recent elections in Germany, there is a clear growth in favor of populist leaders. The election saw record-breaking voter turnout, with 82.5% of eligible voters participating. This is a...

Trump’s Evolved Form of Populism Works… and Hurts.

Apr 20, 2025 | University of Memphis

Trump has been called a populist since his initial campaign in 2016, with his ideas being mostly the same over the years: dismantle the Department of Education, impose tariffs on Mexico and China,...