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.

What Does the United States Democracy Have in Store?

Democracy of the United States has fallen, and learning what is happening is importantly to try to stop it.

Turkey’s Attempted 2016 Coup is a Symptom, Not a Cause of Democratic Erosion

On July 15, 2016, tanks and members of the Turkish military took to the streets of Istanbul in an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the government. Soldiers invaded the headquarters of the ruling party while fighter jets bombed the capital city of Ankara. This coup...

Democratic Erosion in Poland’s Judicial Reform

Poland is actively making corrupt efforts to silence those who muster the courage to speak out. In late 2019, the Polish Sejm approved a new law, the muzzle law, that is aimed towards taking complete governmental control of the judiciary’s structure and inner...

Abortion Rights Are Fundamental to Democracy. Why Do Democracies Ban It?

Oct 9, 2024 | Brown University

In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, concluding that the U.S. Constitution does not provide federal protections for a woman’s right to choose. But in...

The Threat of JD Vance’s Populism to the Future of America

Oct 9, 2024 | Brown University

JD Vance has been called many things by many people since he was announced as Donald Trump’s Vice Presidential running mate three months ago. He is conservative and...

Populism, Democrat Strategy, and the Definition of Insanity

Nov 17, 2020 | University of Chicago

As the 2020 election winds down and the Democratic Party has, by all reputable accounts, been confirmed as the victor, Op-Eds across the internet have been released mourning the death of the...

A Certain Majority

Nov 17, 2020 | University of Chicago

One of the specific criteria of populist leaders according to Jan-Werner Müller is antipluralism. He writes, “[Populists] claim that they and they alone represent the people.” [1] Instead of...

Why Unpopular Politicians Win Elections: Lessons from Kentucky

Nov 17, 2020 | University of Chicago

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is one of the least popular politicians in the nation— and that’s not just a matter of opinion. According to a 2019 Morning Consult survey, McConnell...

Donald the Lame-Duck President

Nov 17, 2020 | University of Chicago

The Donald is officially a lame duck. That’s all folks! Or is it…. On November 9th, not even one week after the general election that eventually quashed his chances of a second term, the president...

Trump’s Attacks on American Democracy: The Lead-Up to the 2020 Election

Nov 17, 2020 | University of Georgia

President Donald Trump, in his efforts to retain the Presidency of the United States for a second term, has engaged in many behaviors in the past few months that undermine the very basis of...

Sacrificing Truth at the Altar of Power

Nov 17, 2020 | University of Chicago

Even though the 2020 Presidential Election was called on November 14th, escaping election news seems impossible. The last week has seen Trump's legal team file a plethora of lawsuits over supposed...

Democratic Erosion in India: Modi Leads the Country Into a More Polarized Society

Nov 16, 2020 | University of Chicago

Narendra Modi’s time as Prime Minister of India has been watched closely by the world as escalations have heightened with Pakistan in recent years. Modi has enacted many policies and actions that...

Voter Suppression: How it Still Exists 100 Years After the Passing of the 19th Amendment

Nov 16, 2020 | Suffolk University

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/31/opinion/texas-voter-suppression.html Civic Engagement I joined the JFK library's conference about the 19th Amendment and voting rights today. This conference was...

Pork Barrel Spending: How an Anti-corruption Measure Heightens Polarization and Threatens American Democracy

Nov 16, 2020 | University of Chicago

While ostensibly a positive effort against corruption, the voluntary banning of pork-barrel spending has contributed to the erosion of American democracy by encouraging hyperpolarization on the...