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.

Backsliding or Normalization? What is Driving the Changes to Chilean Voting Laws

As Chile changes its voting laws for immigrants it is backsliding away from a highly progressive past while still remaining relatively progressive; what does this mean for democracy and democratic erosion?

Democracy and the Press: Netanyahu’s Threat to Media Freedom

An analysis of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent efforts to restrict free media in Israel.

Hungary’s 2024 Protests and Elections: Populism VS Oligarchy

Intro In the last two years, Hungary has seen an influx of worker-led protests, even as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán maintained tight control over politics and the media. From 2023 to 2024, teachers and union members took to the streets of Hungary to oppose...

Scapegoating and Civil Liberties: How the Ugandan Anti-LGBTQ Bill is Dragging Down Democracy

Nov 22, 2023 | Northeastern University

“Something evil has been put into society. We would be attacked, we would not be safe, Uganda is not safe”, says Diane, a young Ugandan woman forced to flee the country due...

American Democracy and the Censuring of Rashida Tlaib

Nov 22, 2023 | Northeastern University

On November 7th, in a 234-188 vote, the United States House of Representatives voted to censure Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib following Tlaib’s comments on the Israel-Hamas...

Is Lindsey Graham the Biggest Threat to American Democracy?

Nov 18, 2020 | University of Chicago

In the last two weeks, South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham’s vocal support for President Trump has reached new heights. Graham has perpetuated Trump’s claims that the election was...

How the Trump Base Represents the Danger that Populism Continues To Pose to American Democracy

Nov 18, 2020 | University of Chicago

On November 7th, 4 days after Election Day, Joe Biden was projected to have defeated President Donald Trump and declared to be the 46th President of the United States by all major news sources,...

Media Independence? Lessons From Putin

Nov 18, 2020 | University of Chicago

The 2020 election has brought to light the vast extent of misinformation, doubt of the validity of electoral outcomes, and divisions on even the role of facts within the United States media coverage...

Georgia: Unintended Runoff Consequences

Nov 18, 2020 | University of Chicago

The two Georgia runoff elections for senate positions are key events contributing to the ongoing democratic erosion going on in the United States with regards to the discrediting of the national...

Abolish the Electoral College

Nov 18, 2020 | University of Chicago

For the seventh time out of the last eight presidential elections, the Democratic Party has once again managed to win the popular vote but, despite these repeated victories, they have only won five...

Conspiracy and Right-Wing Populism: The Lasting Threat QAnon Poses to U.S. Democracy

Nov 18, 2020 | University of Chicago

Since the presidential election, QAnon followers have been forced to reckon with an identity crisis. “Q” failed to post for over a week after the election, and in that time questions about his...

Big Tech and Misinformation: How Increased Government Regulation of the Industry Can Safeguard Democracy

Nov 18, 2020 | University of Chicago

Despite their pivotal function as distributors of news, politics, and commentary to millions of users, technology companies have recently faced increased scrutiny and criticism for promoting...

Inaction Leading to Erosion

Nov 18, 2020 | University of Chicago

The European Migration Context Since September 2015, Open Arms -a Barcelona-based NGO working in the Mediterranean- has rescued 61.058 people that would have otherwise drowned in...

The Subtle (But Dangerous) Demagogues of Thailand

Nov 18, 2020 | University of Chicago

In Thai politics, hostility is not a good look. Trump-style demagoguery of directly bashing opponents can almost never be found among political leaders in Thailand. However, that does not mean that...