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.

Donald Trump the Nazi Reincarnate?: Godwin’s Law and How This Phenomenon is Counterproductive to Understanding Democratic Erosion

What do we hope to accomplish when comparing President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler, a tyrannical perpetrator of genocide?

The Russia-Ukraine War Bodes Poorly for Democracy, But Not in the Way You Think

The Russia-Ukraine War is a serious threat to global democracy through the growing wave of isolationism in the United States, an entity that has typically been at the forefront of fighting authoritarianism across the world.

The Trump Administration’s Attack on USAID

The Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle USAID, increase concerns about democratic backsliding as it could result in a trend with the executive undermining institutional legitimacy.

United States Polarization Effect on Backsliding

Nov 27, 2022 | Boston University

The rise of polarization here in the United States of America is a major cause of concern for the democratic norms which exist here in the US. Over the years, the United...

Malaysia: Political Crises in the Face of COVID-19

Nov 27, 2022 | Boston University

The Malaysian electorate has come to the spotlight in recent weeks with the general election that occurred on November 19 with the results stuck in a stalemate as no...

What Happens When Freedom Erodes?

Mar 28, 2020 | Georgia State University

What Happens When Freedom Erodes? The issue of democracy in the United States has been very much debated. The issues has gained significant popularity during the current presidential...

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Reshuffle Is Step Away From Democracy

Mar 27, 2020 | American University

The recent resignation of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and the ensuring political turmoil in Malaysia is a step backwards for the country’s democracy. Indeed, initial indicators are...

Within the past decade states across the US have increasingly pushed for voter ID laws in an attempt to minimize voter fraud. This seems optimal, however voter fraud has not been proven to be a...

Sanders and Trump, The peoples’ party?

Mar 23, 2020 | Georgia State University

https://medium.com/@marcushjohnson/bernie-sanders-and-donald-trump-are-two-sides-of-the-same-coin-a862b80762e7 Both Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders run on populist’s platforms that claim to be in...

Is There Still Value to Model United Nations?

Mar 21, 2020 | Suffolk University

Why do young people have the lowest voter turnout rates for all ages? Are school systems at fault? Should parents be doing more to educate their children? Nobody is necessarily at fault, but...