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.

White Christian Nationalists “ReAwaken” America

Dec 26, 2022 | Sabanci University

For a little bit over 20 minutes, he enlightened his followers on how to “Save This God-Given Republic” from enemies both foreign and domestic. After he finished his speech,...

The Power Vacuum in Regime Transition

Dec 24, 2022 | Skidmore College

The first anniversary of Sudan’s latest military coup has been marked by protests in the capital city of Khartoum, as well as Port Sudan and South Kordofan. On October 26th,...

Trump’s Attacks on Electoral Institutions Raise Red Flags for Democracy

Oct 14, 2020 | Northeastern University

The Republican party is actively enabling Trump to disregard the rules of our democracy by pushing a supreme court nominee hastily through the confirmation process during an ongoing election, and by...

A Thousand Worthless Words: How U.S Presidential Debates Fail To Provide a Democratic Service

Oct 14, 2020 | Northeastern University

Tuning into the first presidential debate of 2020, one could easily think CBS was gearing up to show the next WWE Super Showdown. The dramatic opening music, intense lighting and garish graphics...

Is Correa’s Ban From Future Elections Undemocratic?

Oct 14, 2020 | Brown University

On September 7, the former president of Ecuador Rafael Correa was banned from running for office in the upcoming 2021 elections. Correa’s supporters (also known as Correístas) view the...

A Pandemic of “Third-Termism” in West Africa?

Oct 14, 2020 | University of Georgia

The international community has difficulty punishing leaders who undermine electoral power transitions through democratic channels. In August 2020, Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was forced...

Bread or Freedom

Oct 14, 2020 | Northeastern University

Under the Soviet Union, Russian’s prioritized bread over freedom. It seems as though they still prefer bread. Freedom House rates Russia a 20% on its democracy scale and blames the strong...

Mexico: A Definite Delegative Democracy

Oct 14, 2020 | Brown University

In 2018 Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) and his political party, MORENA, historically won not only the Mexican Presidential election but also the Senate and the lower house. Many have been...

Did We See Gatekeeping in Full Effect Back in March?

Oct 14, 2020 | Northeastern University

February 3rd, 2020- The Iowa Caucus saw a close Pete Buttigieg win (26. 2% of the vote) over Bernie Sanders (26.1%), with Elizabeth Warren (18%) coming in 3rd and Joe Biden (15.8%) trailing at 4th...

Partisan Voter Intimidation on the Rise in 2020 Election

Oct 14, 2020 | Northeastern University

Trump supporters gathered outside Fairfax County Government Center; photo by Kenny Holston of the New York Times On the stage of the first presidential debate, President Trump, warning of unfounded...

Between Iraq and a Hard Place

Oct 14, 2020 | University of Georgia

October marks the one-year anniversary of Iraq’s anti-government protests. These protests have shaken Iraq while it still recovers from the devastating war with ISIS. Iraqis are furious with the...