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.

When Will It End? Stealth Authoritarianism over Female Reproductive Rights

Comparing the modern day struggles of democracy against reproductive rights to stealth authoritarianism.

Democracy Dying by Law : A Case study of Poland’s Under PiS Era

Still water runs deep. Have you ever heard of this phrase? It means that the surface may look calm, but there is some powerful force moving underneath. What if this was happening in real life? That force has a name: stealth authoritarianism. That force wears a mask...

The New Nepal: A Model or An Outlier?

Recent uprisings in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Madagascar (just to name a few) have highlighted younger generations’ demands for anticorruption and better political representation. Specifically, the 2025 uprising in Nepal illustrates GenZ’s potential for...

Democratic Erosion in Chile (1963-1975)

May 4, 2026 | Tulane University

Chile between the period of 1964 and 1975 represents a great example of how democracy can be eroded through both internal failure, but mainly through the planned efforts of...

After Orbán: Should the EU be shifting its sights to Bulgaria?

May 4, 2026 | Suffolk University

Victor Orbán, a pain in the European Union’s side, is no longer in office. Although, the EU cannot celebrate just yet, as Rumen Radev might have just taken his place. After...

Resistances to Democratic Backsliding in Indonesia

Apr 30, 2026 | James Madison University

Indonesia has experienced continuous democratic backsliding since 2017. Despite pervasive executive aggrandizement and other continuing challenges, domestic actors have worked from above and below...

Recent President Sets Back El Salvador

Apr 30, 2026 | Boston University

El Salvador is facing democratic erosion due to its current president Nayib Bukele. Bukele at first started his presidency in 2019, winning against the two candidates of the main two historically...

America stuck in a Dilemma

Apr 30, 2026 | Boston University

The United States is at risk of losing its democracy due to its president, Donald Trump. Many are concerned with the fact that Trump is showing signs of wanting to get rid of democracy. A lot of the...

A Never-Ending Crackdown: Daniel Noboa and Ecuador’s Potential Turn toward Authoritarianism

Apr 30, 2026 | Tulane University

A Never-Ending Crackdown: Daniel Noboa and Ecuador's Potential Turn toward Authoritarianism In January 2024, masked gunmen stormed a live television broadcast in Guayaquil, Ecuador. A notorious gang...

Trump has removed the National Science Foundation Board: Where does the overreach stop?

Apr 30, 2026 | Tulane University

Event On April 27th, 2026 the Trump Administration dismissed the National Science Foundation Board which consisted of 22 independent board members. Board members received an email from the...

Born Here, Belonging Nowhere: The Constitutional Crisis of Executive Order 14,160

Apr 30, 2026 | Tulane University

On January 20, 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued executive order No. 14,160 titled “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship,” which declared that individuals born in the United...

The Silver Lining of American Retreat: How U.S. Disengagement from NATO Could Forge a Stronger Europe

Apr 29, 2026 | Suffolk University

There is a peculiar irony at the heart of what is happening to NATO right now. The United States, the alliance’s founding architect and long-time guarantor, has spent the better part of the last...

Do It Anyway: Why America’s Checks & Balances Are Failing

Apr 29, 2026 | Suffolk University

One of the main campaign promises made by the Trump campaign was to bring prices down for everyday Americans. He promised (and failed to deliver) sweeping economic reforms, the implementation of...

Protecting Democracy: Indigenous-led Social Movements in Guatemala 2023

Apr 29, 2026 | Tulane University

In 2023, presidential elections were held in Guatemala, and the country chose to protect democracy. With a longstanding history of corruption entrenched throughout the political and economic...