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...

The People, the Fear, and the Exhaustion Machine: How Populist Elites in Georgia and Serbia Rule by Chaos

Mar 31, 2025 | Tartu University

The People, the Fear, and the Exhaustion Machine: How Populist Elites in Georgia and Serbia Rule by Chaos In recent elections, during political crises, in every speech and...

From Democratic Revolutionaries to Genocidaire Apologists: How the UAE Corrupted Sudanese Civil Society Leaders

Mar 17, 2025 | The University of Alabama

It is an open secret that Emirati planes are touching down at remote Chadian military bases with boxes of “humanitarian aid” - aid that is instead guns, ammo, and drones,...

Democracy for the Indigenous People of Chile

Dec 16, 2020 | James Madison University

The Mapuche Indians were once one of the biggest indigenous groups in South America. Today, there are around 1 million Mapuche people living in Chile, and a smaller amount in Argentina. They...

Not So Fast: Student-Led Protests Stop Coup in its Tracks

Dec 16, 2020 | Northeastern University

On Monday, November 9th, Peruvian congress voted to impeach President Martín Vizcarra and remove him from office. Congress accused Vizcarra of accepting bribes from companies during his time as...

Femicides in Mexico: The War on Women

Dec 15, 2020 | James Madison University

What is a Femicide? The intentional murder of women, because they are women.- The World Health Organization I do not want them to kill me According to an official report, at least 10 women are...

China’s Uyghur Gulag

Dec 15, 2020 | James Madison University

Ethnic Injustice in China The injustice plaguing the Uyghur minority in China is not new, China’s efforts to keep their repressive actions hidden not just within its borders but across the globe...

Palestinians Further Forgotten in The Wake of a Pandemic

Dec 15, 2020 | Georgia State University

Palestine-Gaza, ever presently occupied by Israel, faces rising cases and concerning limits about their healthcare system. The territory, which has seen a sea, land, and air blockade from Israel and...

Amplify All Voices: The Power of Voter Outreach in Marginalized Communities

Dec 15, 2020 | Suffolk University

Marginalized communities are commonly neglected when it comes to having their needs met by legislators. However, these same legislators also ask the members of these communities for their support...

Crisis in Cameroon

Dec 14, 2020 | Georgia State University

#EndAnglophone is the current hashtag dominating Cameroon's Social Media after many killings of both children and civilians throughout the country. Over 3000 people have been killed since 2017, due...

Turkey’s Belligerent Foreign Policy Can’t Be Separated From Domestic Repression

Dec 14, 2020 | University of Georgia

Few political phenomena are as well known as the "Rally Around the Flag" effect. Tragic events or instances of conflict can shift public opinion in favor of ruling authorities. Much of the time,...

Teaming Up to Tear the Constitution Down: Pandemics and Institutional Oppression in the United States

Dec 14, 2020 | Georgia State University

As the United States faces a national reckoning over race relations and gears up for a presidential election this month, Black Americans still encounter systemic barriers to equally exercising their...