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.

First 100 Days, More Like First 100 Hours: How Trump’s First 100 Days Played Out Against Trump’s Second 100 Hours

Indiana Senator Jim Banks, a staunch Trump ally, predicted that President Trump’s return to power would be characterized by “shock and awe.” In many ways, the events of President Trump’s first 100 hours in office during his second term have lived up to that promise....

History Repeats: Why Strong Global Defense is Key to Preventing Autocracy

A strong and consistent global defense by democratic nations is crucial to preventing the rise of autocratic regimes, as history shows—from the Cold War doctrines to the failed democratization of Afghanistan—that without committed follow-through and structural reform, authoritarian forces will exploit weaknesses and reclaim power.

Women in Political Dynasties: The Illusion of Choice and Democratic Erosion in the Philippines

Political dynasties have long controlled Philippine politics, with powerful families passing down leadership positions across generations. Despite the imposition of term limits discouraging dynastic rule, these families have found their way around the constitutional...

The Alienations of Muslims in the World’s Largest Democracy

Oct 23, 2023 | Boston University

India is the world's largest democracy; in fact, it recently gained the title of being the world's largest country by population, and fortunately such a nation happens to...

Gender inequality decline the Democracy in India

Oct 23, 2023 | School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

Democracy is not merely a form of government but also a way of life, an order of society, a way of social and economic relations, and above all, a belief system (Saikia...

Wisconsin: A State Reflective of the United States’ Eroding Democracy

Oct 24, 2020 | University of Chicago

On April 7th, 2020, states all around the nation watched as the implosion of Wisconsin’s government occurred as there was a tug of war between a conservative state Supreme Court and a democratic...

The Issue With Court Packing

Oct 24, 2020 | University of Chicago

Since the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Congress and indeed the rest of the country has been grappling with how we should proceed in filling the late justice’s seat. The Republican and...

Authoritarianism vs. USPS

Oct 24, 2020 | University of Chicago

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has offered essential services to the people of the United States for more than 240 years. Among these services include the secure delivery of absentee...

Rewriting the Russian Constitution: A Lesson in Stealth or Overt Authoritarianism?

Oct 24, 2020 | University of Chicago

In late June of 2020 the Russian government held a nation-wide plebiscite on a series of constitutional amendments proposed earlier this year by President Vladimir Putin. Among a myriad of changes...

Does a Summer of Political Violence Spell Authoritarianism for the US?

Oct 23, 2020 | University of Chicago

In How Democracies Die, Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt outline parameters which serve as warning signs regarding the erosion of democracy, one of them being the “toleration or encouragement of...

Does This Florida Legal Battle Spell the End of American Democracy?

Oct 23, 2020 | University of Chicago

On September 11th 2020, a federal court of appeals decided that Florida’s former convicts must pay all court fines before they can vote. This blunted the effect of Amendment 4, which passed in 2018,...

The Thai Government and Their Textbook Erosion

Oct 23, 2020 | University of Chicago

The Thai Government has demonstrated various textbook examples of authoritarianism and democratic erosion in the past year or so, and protests continuing despite COVID concerns exemplifies the...

In This Election, It’s Not Democrat or Republican on the Ballot– It’s Democracy

Oct 23, 2020 | University of Chicago

After a summer marked by a global health crisis, social upheaval, and a devastating economic downturn, the stakes of an American presidential election have never been higher. And with early voting...

Thailand’s Hypocrisy: A Case Study of Stealth Authoritarianism

Oct 23, 2020 | University of Chicago

Though the Thai government does not necessarily hide its autocratic tendencies, it is far from willing to let go of the democratic label. On October 15th 2020, after three months of student-led...