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.

Identity Survival Amongst Democratically Eroded Ethno-Religious Conflicts

When politics between religious governments turn into a contest for identity survival, democracy institutions stop being referees and start becoming weapons.

Poland’s Democratic Decline Was Reversible

In 2015, Poland experienced a significant decrease in democracy. The Law and Justice Party (PiS), under Jaroslaw Kaczyński’s leadership, secured victories in both the presidential and parliamentary elections. In a matter of months, the government acted to diminish the...

Selective Support of the Courts: How Elite Driven Narratives in Brazil Undermine the Courts Perceived Legitimacy

How Democracy Erodes: A Comparison between the U.S. and Brazil

Apr 23, 2026 | Suffolk University

Both the United States under President Trump and Brazil under Jair Bolsonaro experienced a period of anti-democratic rhetoric. That led to the decline of significant...

Why The Save Act Misses The Mark

Apr 22, 2026 | Suffolk University

The current administration's push for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act has become yet another polarizing topic between the left and the right. The...

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...

The SAVE Act, Voter Suppression, and Erosion in the US

Mar 4, 2026 | Arizona State University

An updated version of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE, Act was passed by the House of Representatives on February 11th of this year. Meant to “[ensure] the integrity of elections”...

Hungary: A Case Study of Democratic Backsliding in the European Union

Mar 1, 2026 | Arizona State University

Since the conclusion of the Cold War and the collapse of Soviet influence in Central and Eastern Europe, many countries embraced liberal democracy as the ultimate stage of political...

How Pakistans Government has Backslided Further since Imran Khan’s arrest

Feb 27, 2026 | Boston University

Democratic erosion is a gradual process that has been an ongoing process in Pakistan. While the country still holds elections and operates under the 1973 constitution, the quality of the democracy...