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.

Presidential Rhetoric and Democratic Backsliding

President Trump’s ongoing comments to both journalists and on social media sites like Truth Social are stark examples of crumbling democratic forbearance and dangerous expansion of executive power. Beyond the routine vulgarity that has come to characterize his public...

The Trend of Polarization: How Political Competition Becomes Conflict

“Us” Versus “Them” In the context of modern politics in the United States and around the world, an increasingly worrying factor that plays a role in the phenomenon of democratic erosion is polarization. Polarization is a process through which the civil and political...

The Dignity Act and the Death of Bipartisanship

For much of the late twentieth century, immigration reform in the United States was an achievable feat through bipartisan cooperation. Lawmakers disagreed on key provisions, yet they were able to engage in negotiations, ultimately producing legislation. However in...

The Combo of Asset Freezes and Deterioration of Democratic Norms relegates India’s Democratic Standing

Apr 15, 2026 | Boston University

Recently, India has been experiencing some forms of democratic backsliding. According to Nancy Bermeo’s “On Democratic Backsliding”, she depicts democratic backsliding as...

https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2026/03/13/bitcoin-in-the-crossfire-what-oil-shocks-really-do-to-crypto/

Apr 14, 2026 | University of Houston

There’s this one anecdote that circulates the internet a lot. I see it every few months myself, you probably see it just as often. The Bitcoin pizzas. Some guy paid 10,000...

Confusion and Control: New Voting Laws Weakening Democracy in America

Mar 30, 2026 | Uncategorized, University of Houston

A core component of democracy is representation through free and fair elections. Free and fair can be defined by who qualifies to vote and then by the actual ability of that group to vote. The SAVE...

Hollowing out the State: DOGE and the Administrative Erosion of American Democracy

Mar 30, 2026 | Suffolk University, Universities

On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order establishing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a body embedded within the existing U.S. Digital Service and led by tech...

Look at What They Took From You: MAGA Polarization Through Social Media

Mar 30, 2026 | Arizona State University

The official White House X account sits at over four million followers. Created in January of 2025, the social media page’s bio reads: “The Golden Age of America Begins Now.” Like many other...

From Secularism to Islamic Authority: Democratic Backsliding in Bangladesh

Mar 30, 2026 | University of Houston

Democratic backsliding is often characterized by institutional weakness or polarizing incumbents, but what about the topic of backsliding due to religious proliferation? In countries like India,...

From Left to Right-Wing Populism: Can Argentina Survive Another Movement?

Mar 30, 2026 | University of Houston

In November 2023, self-proclaimed anarcho-capitalist Javier Milei won the Argentinian presidency. His campaign ran on the promise of dismantling the existing political establishment that many...

Timor Leste: The Paradox of Democratic Fragility

Mar 30, 2026 | Arizona State University

Although Timor-Leste is often seen as a success in democracy in Southeast Asia, it still has deep-rooted structural issues that cause worries about a decline in democratic practices. Although the...

The United States of Stealth Authoritarianism

Mar 29, 2026 | Suffolk University

Are we really doing this? “America will continue our leadership in defense of human dignity, in defense of rules and norms, and in defense of freedom and liberty. There is too much at stake to do...

The United States’ War on Public Education

Mar 29, 2026 | Suffolk University

While the country shifts their focus to the newly erupting war in the Middle East they begin to turn their backs on the war happening on US soil. This war may not involve heavy weaponry and mass...

The DHS Shutdown is Led by Populist Politicians

Mar 29, 2026 | Suffolk University, Universities

An “anti-compromise” mindset from populist politicians continues to hinder negotiation between Democrats and the White House. On February 14, 2026 a partial government shutdown centered on the...