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...

The New Future of Warfare? How Social Media is Inflating Tensions Between the U.S. and Iran.

Social media is moving to the forefront of the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran, with political elites from both sides of the conflict using social media as a weapon to fabricate narratives and generate AI videos to publicly denounce the actions of one...

Democratic Erosion Disguised as Stability: Georgia’s Post-Election Crisis

Apr 17, 2025 | Boston University

In Georgia, parliamentary elections in October 2024 spurred mass mobilization and protest nationally over alleged electoral fraud and government violence. Thousands of...

Serbian Protests: Unrest or Backsliding?

Apr 16, 2025 | Boston University

Serbia has seen a wave of student protests over the last four months due to the deadly train station collapse in Novi Sad that has now claimed the lives of 16 people. The...

Vladimir Putin, Alexei Navalny, and The Russian State

Mar 25, 2021 | Georgia State University

A headstrong statesman and former KDB operative, Vladimir Putin continues to show unwavering strength in the face of recent political protest in the Russian Federation. Within the first month of...

Facebook’s Gradual Assault on Democracy

Mar 24, 2021 | Georgia State University

Communication and social interactions are critical tools that can either solidify polarization or depolarize democracies at risk. Social relations inherently trickle down into the political...

Is Social Media Expediting Democratic Erosion in the US?

Mar 24, 2021 | Georgia State University

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Myanmar: The Illusion of Change

Mar 23, 2021 | American University

The military coup in Myanmar on February 1st signifies a reversal of liberalization that had slowly been developing in the country since the end of the military dictatorship in 2010. However, the...

Church & State: Will the Relationship Lead to a Decline in Cuba’s Authoritarian Regime?

Mar 22, 2021 | Georgia State University

After six decades of state-led religious suppression, the post-Castro regime brings hope to religious freedom movements and the prospect of participation of the Church in politics through multiple...

The Challenge of Propaganda in Today’s Social Media

Mar 21, 2021 | American University

The internet has become a net of propaganda with little prospect for change. As social media has an increasing role in everyday life, there is an increase in propaganda to influence public opinion....

White Nationalism and the Role Social Media Companies Play in Its Spread

Mar 18, 2021 | American University

Social media companies are not violating the first amendment by limiting what users can post. Social media has played a role in advancing social movements, but it has also allowed the spread of...

Myanmar: The Coup That Was Meant to Be

Mar 18, 2021 | American University

The Myanmar military took power quietly overnight; yet this coup did not surprise many people. Myanmar has struggled with democracy for many decades under both military and civilian rule. In fact,...

The Case of Marjorie Taylor Greene

Mar 16, 2021 | Northeastern University

In this time of increasing misinformation, polarization, and erosion of democracy in the United States, leaders with populist messages such as Marjorie Taylor Greene have mobilized voters to...