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...

Buying Injustice: The Hidden Harms of this Act.

Are we looking to create a thriving society, or are we allowing fear into the lives of immigrant families? As new immigration policies appear, the question become, how do we prevent the changes that involve separating families and dismantling the place that...

The Disbandment of Hong Kong’s Democratic Party: An Example of Authoritarian Consolidation

Apr 13, 2025 | Boston University

On April 13th, 2025, Hong Kong’s largest pro-democracy party, the Democratic Party, voted to begin dissolving itself. Over 90% of the party’s remaining members backed the...

Why Estonia’s decision to disenfranchise non-EU citizens is doing more harm than good

Apr 9, 2025 | Tartu University

On the 26 of March, the Estonian parliament (the Riigikogu) passed a constitutional amendment to remove the rights to vote in local elections for non-EU residents (Kangro,...

A Response to “The Aftermath of a Populist Leader in a Democracy”

Mar 8, 2021 | Rollins College

This is a blog post in response to the article by Sarah Penkava titled “The Aftermath of a Populist Leader in a Democracy”, published on the 3rd of December, 2020. She discusses the massive impacts...

Why Far Right Propaganda Became a Threat to Democracy

Mar 7, 2021 | Rollins College

Burke is correct in claiming that the issues of far-right political beliefs have been an unfortunate constant in the United States for decades. Donald Trump’s presidency (and the use of the agencies...

Greene Is Too Green and Too Dangerous To Be in Congress

Mar 6, 2021 | American University

A self-involved siding contractor with a passion for CrossFit is not qualified to represent American democracy. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene clearly lacks world knowledge, professionalism,...

#RecuperemosChile: Chile Is Once Again Using Tools of Its Authoritarian Past

Mar 5, 2021 | American University

On February 10th, 2021, amid a worldwide health crisis, Chilean authorities deported 138 migrants back to their countries of origin. The images are haunting: Chilean police officers wearing medical...

How QAnon Propaganda Imperils American Democracy and Killed the GOP

Mar 5, 2021 | American University

The most tumultuous and divisive presidency in modern American history culminated in an insurrection that left global citizens in shock and historians racing to sound the alarms. What happened in...

How the Sandinistas Lost Their Faith

Mar 5, 2021 | American University

Photo by Libertinus Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega has incrementally consolidated power through the FSLN (Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional), virtually making it his personal party. At...

What the Rise of the NSDAP Can Tell Us About Golden Dawn

Mar 5, 2021 | American University

Photo via Counter Extremism Project Golden Dawn was a political party in Greece that used racism, economic anxiety and fascist propaganda to rise in Greece. The question is, how did Golden Dawn grow...

Who Is Guarding the Gate? Donald Trump and Who May Follow

Mar 5, 2021 | American University

It is no secret that a fundamental shift has occurred in the Republican Party platform since Donald Trump announced his candidacy six years ago. His omnipresence has had effects at every level of...

White Supremacists Are the Best Stealth Authoritarians

Mar 1, 2021 | Northeastern University

The insurrection at the capitol and Trump’s second acquittal are proof that white supremacists are the best stealth authoritarians [1]. Their attempted coup is a clear example that our political...