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...

Democracy and Climate: The United States and COP27

Dec 21, 2022 | Skidmore College

From November 6 to 18, the United Nations is meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt for the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate...

Learning From Silvio Berlusconi’s Reign Over Media

Dec 21, 2022 | Boston University

Precursors In Italian journalism, clearly defined political stances take precedence over objective reporting. Radiotelevisione Italiana (RAI), the country’s state-owned...

Viktor Orban’s Pandemic Power Grab: Exploring How Populists Exploit Disasters to Edge Out Democracy

Apr 9, 2020 | Boston University

The COVID-19 pandemic is holding up a magnifying glass to the fragility of not only Hungary’s healthcare system but its already besieged democracy. In 2008, far-right populist Viktor Orban captured...

The Wisconsin Primary Election: The Choice Between Health and Democracy

Apr 9, 2020 | Boston University

We have all heard the phrase “This is the most important election of our lifetime.” This time probably more than ever. But even more popular these days is a version of, “This is an unprecedented...

Coronavirus: The Threat of Democratic Erosion in A Global Pandemic

Apr 8, 2020 | Boston University

The current global pandemic has undoubtedly wreaked havoc on democracies throughout the world, as governments attempt to balance legislative powers with mitigation policies. As the death rate in...

Russia Coronavirus Measures and Their Effect On Its Shaky Democracy

Apr 8, 2020 | Boston University

The human rights situation in modern Russia has been extremely rocky since Putin first took power as president. Today, the coronavirus pandemic has given Putin and his administration a new weapon to...

What Abortion Access During COVID-19 Tells Us About Stealth Authoritarianism

Apr 8, 2020 | Boston University

The COVID-19 epidemic has pulled parts of America’s healthcare system to the brink of collapse. Hospitals in hard-hit areas are reaching capacity as emergency rooms fill with patients, available ICU...

Still Questionable: Mexico on the Mend?

Apr 8, 2020 | Boston University

Mexico is widely regarded as a democratic state in constant disarray. Though it has been historically a pluralist system, it hasn't quite harnessed a party based beneficiary of the people. It's...

Sanders’s Exit from the Democratic Primary HIghlights Flaws in US Primary System

Apr 8, 2020 | Boston University

With the suspension of Bernie Sanders’ campaign today, Joe Biden is the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee. Whatever your personal views on it, this result highlights a major flaw in the US...

A Threat or Aid to U.S. Populism? Covid-19.

Apr 8, 2020 | Boston University

By Casey Pupek (Source: https://www.livescience.com/topics/live/coronavirus-live-updates) First recognized as an “unknown pneumonia” in Central China, Covid-19 quickly spread throughout the...

Pandemic Elections

Apr 8, 2020 | Boston University

COVID-19 has upended the basic functions of life in the U.S.. While healthcare and businesses experienced the initial disruptions that the virus brought, the elections are quickly falling into...