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.

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...

Why Protecting American Democracy Means Coming Together In Protest

In the lead up to the 2020 presidential election, the Democratic Erosion Consortium's very own professors Robert Blair and Steven Rosenzweig wrote an article in The Boston Globe urging readers to “Get ready to protest like democracy depends on it.” The article was in...

Competitive Authoritarianism in Turkey

Dec 31, 2022 | Sabanci University

In the last decade, Turkey's political system has been characterized by polarization, democratic backsliding, competitive authoritarianism, and populism (Moral, 2021)....

The Effect of Neoliberalism and Populism on American Democratic Erosion

Dec 27, 2022 | University of Denver

What is democratic erosion? Democratic erosion is the phenomena in which government institutions fail to uphold democratic constitutions. There are many ways in which...

The Exemplification of Democratic Erosion Through Coronavirus Protests by Sydney Knight

Apr 22, 2020 | Rollins College

It is no exaggeration to say that the impact of the coronavirus has rattled the United States. As of April 22, 2020, there have been over 800,00 cases of coronavirus in America and over 40,000...

Disengaged; in the midst of an international crisis, how can teenagers be expected to learn?

Apr 22, 2020 | Suffolk University

On March 16th, more than 90% of California schools closed their doors due to the Coronavirus. The same day, most cities mandated shelter-in-place orders and families were scrambling to find a...

Netanyahu’s Saviour: CoViD-19?

Apr 22, 2020 | Bilkent University

Aspiring autocrats do not necessarily need to seek out ways to legitimise their attacks on the institutions of democracy, such as free media, checks and balances, and civil society. Sometimes, such...

Trump Temporarily Banning Immigration: Is COVID-19 His True Motive?

Apr 21, 2020 | Suffolk University

On April 21st, President Trump announced in a press conference a temporary ban on immigration into the United States as a way to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Although this will only apply to...

How do you host a town hall while following social distancing guidelines?

Apr 21, 2020 | Suffolk University

Being viral is something that in the 21st century is natural and common. The Internet and social media culture have overtaken the way we act and communicate with people all over the world. However,...

What are our local governments doing to help citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Apr 21, 2020 | Suffolk University

While the global pandemic caused by the Coronavirus has impacted people everywhere across the globe, the United States has been hit especially hard. With nearly 800,000 cases and 39,000 deaths in...

The Importance of Political Accessibility and Communication Exposed by a Health Crisis

Apr 21, 2020 | Suffolk University

Since the spread of the novel coronavirus throughout the globe, almost all countries are facing a health crisis at a level where they can hardly cope with it. The global pandemic occurring at this...

Can Liberian Democracy Survive the Coronavirus?

Apr 20, 2020 | American University

Riot Police respond to protests against foreign businesses, which were exempt from forced market closures. In the developed world, the Coronavirus pandemic has destabilized society and threatens to...

The Death of Brazilian Democracy, 20 years in the Making

Apr 20, 2020 | Georgia State University

In 2014, the Brazilian government began an investigation into possible corruption involving its state-run petroleum firm, Petrobras. The allegations involved potential money laundering and bribery...