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.

Donald Trump the Nazi Reincarnate?: Godwin’s Law and How This Phenomenon is Counterproductive to Understanding Democratic Erosion

What do we hope to accomplish when comparing President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler, a tyrannical perpetrator of genocide?

The Russia-Ukraine War Bodes Poorly for Democracy, But Not in the Way You Think

The Russia-Ukraine War is a serious threat to global democracy through the growing wave of isolationism in the United States, an entity that has typically been at the forefront of fighting authoritarianism across the world.

The Trump Administration’s Attack on USAID

The Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle USAID, increase concerns about democratic backsliding as it could result in a trend with the executive undermining institutional legitimacy.

The Rights Of Utahns Are In Danger

Apr 11, 2023 | University of Utah

The Utah Constitution should be amended to make it impossible for state legislatures to repeal, replace or change initiatives passed by citizens. Although, some may argue...

Disinformation and Democracy: Why Local News Sources Matter

Apr 11, 2023 | Rollins College

In Jamelle Bouie’s article, “Disinformation Is Not the Real Problem with Democracy,” he argues that democratic backsliding in the U.S. is not the result of misinformation...

Post-Trump Populism Rule in the US. What Now?

Nov 18, 2020 | University of Chicago

President Trump and President Elect Biden Democracy Maintained? On November 7th, 2020 Joe Biden and Kamala Harris addressed the United States saying that “the people of this nation have spoken. They...

The Switch in Time That Saves Democracy: A Case for Packing the United States Supreme Court

Nov 18, 2020 | University of Chicago

On September 18, 2020, the Supreme Court delivered shocking news: longtime liberal stalwart Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died at 87 years old. Despite democratic norms against seating a new Justice...

Master Manipulators: How the PiS’s Strategy for Media Control Was Hampered by the Public

Nov 18, 2020 | University of Chicago

Poland’s media problem began with President Andrzej Duda’s election in 2015. He started with blatant attempts to control the commanding heights of the media, especially public television. Duda...

Transactional Politics: The Case for Getting Stuff Done

Nov 18, 2020 | University of Chicago

The 116th Congress has passed just 193 bills into law. While Congress still has a few months left in its current term, these numbers pale in comparison to the numbers of the past. Congress has...

The Purpose of an Independent Media in Democracy and the Loss of Credibility

Nov 17, 2020 | University of Chicago

On October 5, President Trump gave a news conference on the state of the recent election. At that time, Biden had been leading in key states and it appeared that his victory was imminent. However,...

Lessons in Democratic Erosion: The Case of India

Nov 17, 2020 | University of Chicago

Democracy in India is certainly at risk, if not already subverted, a demise that has been turbocharged under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. That such a state of affairs is unfolding in India is...

The Men Behind Trump: The Threat to American Democracy Isn’t Over Yet

Nov 17, 2020 | University of Chicago

Last week, President Donald Trump was voted out of office by an American populace ready to replace him. This rightly seems like a signal that the majority of Americans are ready to move past Trump’s...

Ivory Coast Election Crisis

Nov 17, 2020 | Northeastern University

Elements of Ivory Coast’s tumultuous political past following its autonomy from France have threatened the nation’s attempts at democracy yet again. Ivory Coast secured its independence in 1960, and...

Populism, Democrat Strategy, and the Definition of Insanity

Nov 17, 2020 | University of Chicago

As the 2020 election winds down and the Democratic Party has, by all reputable accounts, been confirmed as the victor, Op-Eds across the internet have been released mourning the death of the...