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.

Israel’s Judicial Reforms: A Potential Danger to Democracy?

Israel’s suggested judicial reforms pose a risk to democratic checks and balances by undermining the independence of the judiciary, centralizing executive authority, and potentially weakening democratic principles, similar to what has been observed in countries like Poland.

Arresting Opposition and Squashing Protests: Democratic Backsliding in Turkey Under Erdoğan

Turkey has been inching towards autocracy under Erdoğan and the AKP for the last 22 years.

2025 Romanian Elections: An Election Redo and a Barred Candidate

Only two weeks out from Presidential Elections, Romanian voters face a tough decision in deciding on the next leader of their country. The latest opinion polls show that nearly 40% of voters are still undecided on who to vote for. After all, most voters already cast...

A New World Order? Digital Authoritarianism

Jan 5, 2023 | Sabanci University

Kate Crawford in her book Atlas of AI argues that AI “grew on the battlefield where it was used to detect enemies, strange objects and maintain strategic...

Fall of Democracy in Turkey

Jan 5, 2023 | Sabanci University

Recently, the global rise of democratic regimes starting during the 1970s with the Third Wave of Democratization has stopped. This wave was then replaced by a rise in...

Fight Fire with Fire? – Hostage Diplomacy between the US and Iran

Apr 28, 2020 | Bilkent University

Coronavirus pandemic had impacted our daily lives as well as the international relations today. The impact of the pandemic, the fueling of democratic backsliding in certain liberal and electoral...

Some Monsters are Created by Good Will: How can South Korea’s Digital Surveillance Contribute Democratic Backsliding Overseas?

Apr 28, 2020 | Bilkent University

South Korea’s fight against the Covid-19 turns out to be worrisome! Not for being ineffective in combating the virus, but for a different story that I would like to tell. As a part of the fight...

The Ill Fate of Nicaragua

Apr 28, 2020 | Bilkent University

The lack of democracy and basic freedom in Nicaragua is not a new trend in the country. Over the last century, the country has experienced the invasion of the United States, dictatorship rule by a...

Social media as a tool to shape the government policies during the Covid-19 pandemic

Apr 28, 2020 | Bilkent University

Humanity is now facing one of the worst crises throughout the history. The negative effects of Covid-19 pandemic can be seen in countries’ health systems, economies and almost in every aspect of...

What the Pandemic can’t change: Turkey’s enduring crackdown on media

Apr 28, 2020 | Bilkent University

Turkey was already notorious for its growing liquidation in the country's media outlets. Erdogan’s strong men regime was pretty determined to not to provide even a glimmer of hope for the...

A Two Headed Lion: COVID-19 in Singapore

Apr 28, 2020 | Bilkent University

The coronavirus outbreak raises some interesting questions for the social scientists and the general public. Most importantly, why are some countries more successful than the others? Differentiation...

Virtual Town Hall: A New Means of Politics During the Pandemic

Apr 27, 2020 | Suffolk University

In a chaotic and confusing time like now, everything seems to be on hold. The COVID-19 pandemic has rattled the nation in ways no one could have ever imagined. Thousands of universities and schools...

Consolidating Power in a ‘Pandemic Democracy’: The Case of India

Apr 27, 2020 | Bilkent University

On 24th March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a major announcement, declared a nationwide lockdown for three weeks, adding that “Every state, union territory, village and district will be a part...

How Renewable Energy can Lessen Putin’s Grip on Russia

Apr 27, 2020 | American University

President Vladimir Putin is more vulnerable than some may realize. By over-relying on oil and natural gas production to fund social welfare programs, Putin has exposed that his grip on power is...