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.

A Green Card Once Meant Protection: Now it is Fear

A Green Card Once Meant Protection: Now it is Fear By Fotios E. Meimeteas Imagine you are a single mother in the United States, raising four children who depend on you. You have established a new life, built a home, paid taxes, and lived in the United States for...

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...

Protesting for Democracy: What April 5 Says About America’s Political Crisis

Apr 18, 2025 | Boston University

On April 5, 2025, thousands of protestors participated in the ‘Hands Off!’ rallies that took place across all 50 states. The peaceful protests were organized by over 150...

The Implications and Motivations for Trump’s Tariffs on EU Trade

Apr 18, 2025 | Boston University

In early 2025, President Donald Trump announced the imposition of a 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminum imports from the European Union, citing concerns over trade...

Increasing “Voter Security” Increases Impediments to Voting in the United States

Apr 19, 2021 | Boston University

The 2020 Presidential Election represents a new era in the breakdown of American Democracy. Although Joe Biden won the presidency, in many states he won by a rather slim margin contrary to what many...

Brazil’s Democracy Contracts a COVID-19 Fever

Apr 19, 2021 | American University

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s failed response to the COVID-19 pandemic cost him popular support. Now he feverishly lays the groundwork for a military coup in the event he loses the upcoming...

European Broadcasters Under Threat by Populism

Apr 19, 2021 | Rollins College

Independent, public broadcasters are important in democracies because they are meant to provide unbiased information to the public and to keep the government in check. When Slovenia gave Radio...

Earthquakes Are Not the Only Reason Haiti Is in Shambles

Apr 16, 2021 | Ursinus College

The first Caribbean nation to earn independence is now struggling to preserve democracy. While the opposition screams for change, the president demands a longer term. During his five-year...

January 6th Insurrection at the United States’ Capitol

Apr 16, 2021 | Ursinus College

On January 6th, 2021, the United States was subject to a betrayal of its democracy in a display of violent protest against the free and fair election of the 46th President of the United States....

Tanzania’s Uneven Democratic Playing Field

Apr 16, 2021 | American University

Before the death of President John Magufuli, Tanzania was transitioning into an autocratic state, hitting every hallmark for an uneven democratic playing field. Using both traditional and stealth...

Democracy: COVID’s Latest Victim

Apr 15, 2021 | American University

Never in history has there been such a widespread restriction on movement. Around the globe, countries rushed to enact emergency restrictions to protect their citizens from the novel coronavirus....

President al-Sisi vs. The People

Apr 14, 2021 | Georgia State University

The violation of human rights is a tough price to pay to bring stability to a country, at least in the eyes of Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. al-Sisi has been in office since 2014, after...

Populists Politicizing the Personal and Deepening Democratic Erosion: Abortion Law in Poland

Apr 13, 2021 | University of Denver

On Thursday, October 22nd, 2020, the Supreme Court of Poland ruled that abortions due to fetal defects or lethal fetal diagnoses are unconstitutional, and that, The woman’s comfort is not a reason...