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.

Fear Over Freedom: ICE in Trump’s America

Why EU Membership Isn’t Saving Croatia’s Democracy

More than a decade after joining the European Union, Croatia still struggles with corruption, weak courts, and low public trust. This raises a puzzle: if EU membership is supposed to lock in democratic stability, why do these problems persist? The answer lies in a key...

In Illinois, Donors Narrowed Democracy… Again

The 2026 primaries in Illinois depict how large-scale outside spending legally reshapes candidate viability at the nomination stage, narrowing democratic choice without altering the formal mechanics of voting.

The Rise of Independent Voters: A Crisis of Representation in American Democracy

Mar 23, 2026 | University of Houston

The representation of American’s political identities have been vastly changing over the past two decades. Public polls show that roughly 40 percent of Americans no longer...

Ordinary Americans rescue democracy

Mar 18, 2026 | Tulane University

Do Americans have what it takes to save democracy? Irrefutably, the answer is yes. The second Trump administration has engaged in a variety of measures to steamroll the...

Democracy in Israel

Mar 9, 2026 | University of Houston

Israel has long been viewed as “the only democracy in the Middle East,” yet the system of democracy on which the country runs might not be as free and just as it may seem. Israel is a parliamentary...

Divergent Interests Between Electors and Elected: A Precursor to Democratic Erosion in America

Mar 9, 2026 | University of Houston

Divergent Interests Between Electors and Elected: A Precursor to Democratic Erosion in America In the 2014 paper “Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average...

The “No Kings” Movement. Can Public Outcry Halt Stealth Authoritarianism?

https://www.britannica.com/event/No-Kings-protests

Mar 9, 2026 | University of Houston

In the summer of 2024, the streets of Washington D.C. and cities across America echoed with a singular, rhythmic chant: "No Kings." This wasn't a protest against a foreign monarchy. It was a direct...

The SAVE America Act and Its Implications on Electoral Democracy in the U.S.

Mar 9, 2026 | University of Houston

Introduction After his defeat in the 2020 Presidential election, Donald Trump immediately began to protest against the outcome, claiming fraud and subsequently filing numerous lawsuits in hopes of...

The Elimination of Autonomous Agencies and Democratic Erosion within Mexico

Mar 9, 2026 | Featured, University of Houston

In November 2024, Mexico’s government dismantled one of its most important democratic transparency institutions. Through a constitutional reform, the government dissolved the respective powers of...

January 6: A Stress Test for American Democracy

Mar 9, 2026 | University of Houston

When we hear the word “democratic crisis,” most of us picture something dramatic. A military takeover or a government collapsing overnight. The kind of thing that feels distant, like it only happens...

From January 6th to the Epstein Files: How Partisanship and Institutional Weakness Threaten American Democracy

Mar 9, 2026 | University of Houston

On January 6, 2021, the United States Capitol was stormed by supporters of President Donald Trump who were in uproar over the electoral results following the...

Trumpian Reform and Its Implications for American Democracy

Mar 9, 2026 | University of Houston

Should a president always be held accountable for crimes committed in office if he claims they were necessary to doing his job? In Trump v. United States, the Supreme Court essentially ruled no....

Myanmar’s Democracy Crisis

Mar 8, 2026 | University of Houston

On February 1, 2021, Myanmar’s (Burma) military, known as the Tatmadaw, seized control of the country and overthrew the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi and the National...