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...

Robert Fico’s media law: a populist attack on public broadcasting

Apr 28, 2025 | Tartu University

Robert Fico’s media law: a populist attack on public broadcasting In April 2024, Robert Fico, the Prime Minister of Slovakia, oversaw the dismantling of one of the...

Disinformation and war : How the Violent War in Ukraine Illustrates the Power of Disinformation 1

Apr 27, 2025 | University of Memphis

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, information warfare has become as crucial as military strategy on the ground. Government officials, state-backed...

El Salvador Strays Further From Democracy

Nov 30, 2021 | University of Georgia

Through the recent capture of an absolute legislative majority, the party of El Salvador's charismatic President has set in motion a power grab to dismantle the democratic institution. In recent...

Populism in Hungary

Nov 30, 2021 | University of Georgia

Throughout the past decade, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party has dominated the political scene in Hungary and does not show any signs of stopping. Orbán openly classifies Hungary as an...

Is Political Polarization Taking Over the World?

Nov 30, 2021 | University of Georgia

As you look at the world as a whole, you usually see a division. It could be because of a division between a group's opinions or just because of factors like income inequality. Polarization is...

An Evaluation of Mexico’s Democratic Values

Nov 30, 2021 | University of Georgia

A functioning democracy can be defined by several key values, including electoral processes and the general functioning of the citizens as a governing body. A democracy, by definition, aims to...

Democratic Backsliding in Poland and Eastern Europe

Nov 30, 2021 | University of Georgia

Within the last decade, Poland has become a part of the global trend of democratic backsliding. Poland democratized during the fall of communism and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in Eastern...

Japan’s Concern over Taiwan and its Consequences

Nov 30, 2021 | University of Georgia

Taiwan and Japan haven't maintained much of a relationship with each other as neighboring states over the years, but this ambiguous relationship may be threatened by concerns of China’s future goals...

It Lives!: The January 6th Insurrection

Nov 30, 2021 | University of Georgia

The January 6th insurrection may have failed to achieve its goals on the day its right-wing participants stormed the U.S. Capital, but the movement was alive well before the 6th, and it continues to...

Serbia’s 2020 Parliamentary Election Indicates Democratic Erosion

Nov 30, 2021 | University of Georgia

Since the victory of Aleksander Vučić in Serbia’s 2017 presidential election, democracy in the country has been on the decline. The Freedom House score for Serbia points to erosion of democracy,...

Executive Aggrandizement in Turkey and Its Historical Context

Nov 30, 2021 | University of Georgia

Turkey has a lengthy and turbulent history with democratization. Modern day Turkey was founded on October 29th, 1923, shortly after the end of World War I and the dissolution of the Ottoman empire....