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...

Populism as Democratic Medicine: Reiwa Shinsengumi and Japan’s Political Apathy

Apr 18, 2025 | Boston University

Revisiting Japan’s Democratic Stagnation Populism is often portrayed as a toxin to democracy—an anti-pluralist, anti-institutional movement that undermines liberal norms....

How to Erode a Democracy: Hungary’s Illiberal Turn Under Orbán

Apr 18, 2025 | Boston University

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán turned Hungary from a hopeful post-communist democracy into the first “illiberal democracy” since taking office in 2010. Originally rated “Free,...

Populism and Increasing Polarization in the United States

Oct 13, 2021 | University of Georgia

The United States is more populist than we think. Populism is on the rise, and many Americans have neglected the influence of populist leaders. The growth in populism is a main contributor in the...

Populism and Dissolving Democracy in Poland

Oct 12, 2021 | University of Georgia

The PiS is Taking Over The PiS (Polish Law & Justice Party) was founded by Jarosław Kaczyński and his twin brother Lech Kaczyński. Not long after the party’s creation, Jarosław Kaczyński became...

Argentina’s Democratic Backsliding

Oct 12, 2021 | University of Georgia

DEMOCRATIC BACKGROUND Argentina today has quite the roller-coaster experience with democracy. The government of Argentina, viewed through the framework of a federal system, is a presidential...

Trump’s Threat to Sue Shows How America’s Democracy is Eroding

Oct 12, 2021 | University of Georgia

Effects of the Capitol riot on January 6th, 2021 are still being felt by the United States’ people. As the Biden administration gets settled, inquiries into the riot have begun. Specifically, the...

The Role of Civilian and Military Relations Within the United States Government

Oct 12, 2021 | University of Georgia

Civilian control of the military is a precedent set forth by the United States constitution. The appropriation of funds by Congress as well as the Presidents title of commander in chief are examples...

Eating Away Ghana’s Democracy

Oct 12, 2021 | University of Georgia

Since taking office in 2017, president of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, has demonstrated a pattern of heavy-handedness, authoritarianism, and privilege that contradicts his carefully crafted global image...

Could Former President Trump’s Attempt to Overturn the 2020 Election Be a Sign That the United States’ Democracy Is Eroding?

Oct 12, 2021 | University of Georgia

In November of 2020, after a long, drawn out election, it was announced that former Vice President Joe Biden (D) had won the presidential election, beating out his opponent Former President Donald...

Lack of Horizontal Accountability After U.S. Capitol Invasion: A Dangerous Signifier of Democratic Erosion

Oct 11, 2021 | University of Georgia

Horizontal accountability among the branches of government is essential to healthy democracy, and this area of government accountability was threatened after the U.S. Capitol insurrection on January...

Chile’s Constitutional Convention: A Push for Better Democracy, or a Step to Chaotic Decline?

Oct 10, 2021 | University of Georgia

The state of Chile is at a crossroads: one path promising liberal democracy and the other to potential socialism. The choice is up to the Constitutional Convention, an...