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 are student blog posts written by student participants in the Democratic Erosion Course. These posts were not written by nor represent the views of the Democratic Erosion Consortium.

Food Security is Rooted Abroad

Global fertilizer supply chains connect geopolitical events abroad to food production at home in ways most consumers don’t see.

The Meaning of Silence : What the moment of silence for Melissa Hortman says about American democracy

On June 14, 2025, the lives of Melissa Hortman who was a House speaker in Minnesota and her husband Mark were taken in what authorities believe to be a politically motivated act of violence. The same day Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also shot and...

Buying Injustice: The Hidden Harms of this Act.

Are we looking to create a thriving society, or are we allowing fear into the lives of immigrant families? As new immigration policies appear, the question become, how do we prevent the changes that involve separating families and dismantling the place that...

The Fear of Losing Family: Donald Trumps Controversial Immigration Policies

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

Image From: Chicago Council of Global Affairs Since he first ran for office in 2016, one of Donald Trump's biggest concerns was clear: illegal immigration. President Trump...

The Restoration of Poland and the Desolation of the United States

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

From 2015 until 2023, Poland was under the process of democratic erosion; however, recently they reversed this backsliding as the PiS, Law and Justice Party, had ultimately...

The Political Dismay That Entangles Around the Nation’s Main Political Parties

Nov 19, 2020 | Suffolk University

The date of November 3rd, 2020 has been anticipated to come for over four years now due to the uprile and the call from the masses to urge citizens and voters to vote for what they believe to be a...

Connecting the Dots Between Duterte and Trump

Nov 19, 2020 | University of Chicago

Many countries have experienced leanings and developments suggesting democratic erosion, backsliding, and general shifts towards authoritarianism in the past decade, despite a global trend towards...

Is the Longevity of the American Two-Party System in Question?

Nov 19, 2020 | University of Chicago

What does it mean to be a Republican or Democrat in 2020? What did it mean in 2016, or in 2012? How has the meaning changed between the last three presidential elections? Debate over the two party...

Jammu and Kashmir as an Example of Extreme Populism in India

Nov 19, 2020 | University of Chicago

In 2014, Narendra Modi ran as the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and won the position of Prime Minister. The major theme of the BJP is Hindutva, which is an ideology that seeks to...

Organized Crime and Stealth Authoritarianism in Albania

Nov 19, 2020 | University of Chicago

Like many European nations that have seen the erosion of democratic norms and institutions, Albania faces a majority party that has curtailed media independence and horizontal...

Presidential Upheaval in Peru: How the Public Can Protect Democracy

Nov 18, 2020 | University of Chicago

With the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing US presidential transition grabbing daily headlines, it can be difficult for the American audience to focus on the political events of any other country....

Examining the 2020 U.S. Elections Through the Public’s Eyes

Nov 18, 2020 | University of Chicago

The 2020 election year has seen many twists and turns that have impacted the usual ways we see U.S. elections performed, especially in how debates were conducted. We have seen the second planned...

William Barr’s Role in Eroding U.S. Democracy.

Nov 18, 2020 | University of Chicago

When William Barr was first touted as the likely replacement for previous United States Attorney General Jeff Sessions, many onlookers breathed a sigh of relief. Almost two years later, it is...

Wondering Why Democratic Norms Eroded in the 2020 Election? It’s More Than Just Trumpism

Nov 18, 2020 | University of Chicago

In the wake of the 2020 election, political pundits have been shocked by the complicity of Republican voters in one of the most glaring instances of democratic erosion in American politics. Half of...