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...

Democracy in Exchange for Security; What is Left When the Concert Ends?

Apr 28, 2026 | Tulane University

Hundreds of thousands of fans filled El Salvador’s national stadium to witness Shakira’s sold out five-night residency of the “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour”....

Counter-Gerrymandering and What it Means for American Democracy

Apr 28, 2026 | University of Houston

Gerrymandering is a word well known to most with even a passing interest in politics, but to many who don’t pay attention, it’s a word they’ve just recently started hearing....

When Courts Become Political

Mar 29, 2026 | University of Houston

In an ideal world, the judiciary is like the referees in a democracy. Their job is to make sure that all the players are playing by the rules, that our rights are protected, and that our politicians...

Do Economic Factors Really Affect the Durability of Authoritarian Regimes?

Mar 29, 2026 | Suffolk University

Oftentimes to an outside, democratically minded observer, the durability of authoritarian rule seems perplexing. After all, why would anyone not rise up against a tyrant or dictator when their...

American Intervention in Venezuela: An Erosion of Democratic Norms

Mar 29, 2026 | Suffolk University

American Intervention in Venezuela: An Erosion of Democratic Norms In the early hours of January 3, 2026, U.S. military forces conducted an “intervention” in Venezuela’s sovereign territory,...

Fragmenting the United States Post Dobbs Decision

Mar 29, 2026 | Suffolk University

In 1973, the United States Supreme Court made a landmark decision in Roe v. Wade to legalize abortion prior to fetal viability, prohibiting any state bans. At the beginning of the 1900s, abortion...

What Syria’s Attempted Political Transition Means For Democracy

Mar 29, 2026 | Suffolk University

Syria is not transitioning to democracy. It is stuck in a political system that prevents democracy from taking hold. That may sound obvious. But it isn't. Many discussions concerning Syria's future...

Control Over Media Narratives and Global Support for Ukraine

Mar 29, 2026 | Suffolk University

Control Over Media Narratives and Global Support for Ukraine The Russian Ukrainian Conflict is a prime example of the modern decline in democracy globally, though not in the ways one might expect....

When Discretion Replaces Equality: How Immigration Enforcement Threatens Democracy

Mar 29, 2026 | Suffolk University

When Discretion Replaces Equality: How Immigration Enforcement Threatens Democracy A democracy cannot survive if the law is enforced differently depending on who you are. Yet recent developments in...

Amnesty, an Age-Old Fix for Spain’s Deep Divide

Mar 29, 2026 | Suffolk University

"La Diada," a Catalan holiday, commemorates the surrender of Barcelona to Spanish forces in 1714 and the defeat of Catalan forces. As a result of this unfortunate incident in Catalan history, the...

Are you MAGA, even? How Polarization Ties Into Democratic Erosion

Mar 29, 2026 | Suffolk University

By definition, democracy requires multiple parties to function, but the proudest democracy of the modern age is facing issues as a direct result. The United States is currently experiencing one of...