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.

Where are our Leaders of ’16? The Need for a New Sovereign Republic

Is the UK eroding Northern Irelands democracy?

The Rise of Independent Voters: A Crisis of Representation in American Democracy

The detailing of shifting voting patterns in American households.

Ordinary Americans rescue democracy

Do Americans have what it takes to save democracy? Irrefutably, the answer is yes. The second Trump administration has engaged in a variety of measures to steamroll the opposition. Abetted by a subservient Republican party, empowered by a complacent Supreme Court,...

La Ultraderecha: Is Spain’s Vox an Example of Right-Wing Populism?

Oct 9, 2024 | Brown University

On December 17, 2013, Santiago Abascal established the Spanish political organization Vox, which the New York Times describes as “nationalism at its finest” (Source). The...

Unions and Their Importance in the 2024 U.S. Election

Oct 8, 2024 | Ohio State University

It was inspiring to see a group of people come together to learn more about unions and the important role they play in the United States. Ohio State College Democrats hosted...

In God We Trust (But Maybe Don’t): Evengelical Vaccine Resistance and Democratic Deconsolidation

Apr 5, 2021 | Rollins College

As life slowly returns to normalcy, a menacing roadblock stands in the way of fully mitigating the Pandemic: Evangelical Christians. According to an article in the New York Times titled White...

Water Bottles, Georgia, and the GOP: Warning Signs for the Nation

Apr 5, 2021 | Rollins College

SONY DSC The United States has a long and sullied history of restricting the right to vote. While the Constitution was certainly revolutionary at its time for cementing some rights into law, it was...

Division: A Commentary on the Political Climate of Modern Times

Apr 5, 2021 | Rollins College

PHOTOGRAPH: KENT NISHIMURA/GETTY IMAGES I recently read Ian Bremmer’s article from Time Magazine titled The U.S. Capitol Riot Was Years in the Making. Here's Why America Is So Divided. He...

The State Legislation Which You Should Be Aware Of

Apr 5, 2021 | American University

The 2020 presidential race was polarizing, extremely partisan, and brought out a lot of voters. Along with that, it occurred during a global pandemic which necessitated the use of alternatives to...

Georgia’s New Voting Law: An Expansion of Liberties or a Threat to Democracy?

Apr 5, 2021 | Rollins College

On March 25th, The Washington Post published an article titled “Georgia governor signs into law sweeping voting bill that curtails the use of drop boxes and imposes new ID requirements for mail...

Democratic Erosion in Haiti

Apr 4, 2021 | Georgia State University

Protests in Haiti, 2020. Haiti has long been in a state of revolt, as far back as the colonial age. Since Haiti declared independence in 1804, the country has had no luck in maintaining a stable...

Populist Protégé: Correa’s Plot to Rule Overseas

Apr 1, 2021 | Ursinus College

After a slight reprieve from authoritarian and populist leadership, Ecuador might see a return to the left as the current front-runner in the Ecuadorian presidential elections, Andrés Arauz, has...

It Starts in School: The Croatian Lifestyle of Corruption

Mar 31, 2021 | Georgia State University

In January of 2020, outgoing Croatian president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, who had just lost a reelection campaign, was asked a question about Croatia’s corruption problem. The president pointed a...

The WHO Handed the Chinese Government a Big Propaganda Win

Mar 31, 2021 | American University

Since the first cases of Covid-19 appeared in Wuhan, China in late 2019, politicians, epidemiologists, armchair scientists, and conspiracy theorists alike have speculated on the original vector of...