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.

Fighting Fake News: Lessons from the World’s Top Target

2018 was a year of awakening in Taiwan. Two high-profile events threw the consequences of fake news into relief. First, Su Chii-cherng, the envoy to Osaka for the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, took his own life in September 2018 after false reports about him...

Can Democracies Wait Another 2,500 Years to Meet Today’s Needs?

In 500 BC, during Athens' golden age of democracy, the voting age was set at 18. Over 2,500 years later, this threshold remains the same in the vast majority (90%) of countries. However, as democracies grapple with rising populism, authoritarianism, marginalization of...

Présidence Impériale: Executive Aggrandizement in Macron’s France

Amidst significant challenges to France’s democracy, President Emmanuel Macron has ignored democratic norms and abused constitutional articles to expand his own power—periling France’s democracy.

College Democrats Meeting and Democratic Erosion: A Reflection

Ohio State University

Attending a recent College Democrats of America meeting at Ohio State University was an opportunity to not only reflect on various aspects of democratic erosion within...

Are We Losing our Sense of National Pride? Vivek Ramaswamy Seems to Think So

Ohio State University

Vivek Ramaswamy, a former candidate for the Republican Party’s 2024 presidential nomination, strongly believes in putting America first in almost every scenario. I recently...

Did the USA Patriot Act Cause Democratic Backsliding in the US?

University of Memphis

Following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States’ World Trade Center in New York City, New York, the American...

Zimbabwe: A Democracy in Crisis?

University of Memphis

BLOG POST When it comes to democracy in the modern world, Zimbabawe’s democratic system finds itself in a precariously unique position where it seeks to find a balance between survival and stability...

Poland’s Decline: How a Lack of Pluralism Led to the Erosion of One of Eastern Europe’s Strongest Democracies

Northeastern University

After almost 50 years of communist rule, Poland solidified itself as a stable European power with bright outlooks in terms of promoting and instilling a strong democracy in the country. In one of...

India Silenced: A Threat to Freedom of Expression

University of Memphis

With a population of almost 1.4 billion citizens, the 5th largest economy in the world, and know to be one of the largest democracies in the world; it is evident that there will be multiple...

US Gun Control and Democratic Erosion

University of Memphis

The very tumultuous and vibrant discourse that is Gun Control in the United States is something that has been contributing to the downfall of our country's democracy for quite some time. This is a...

Nigerian Elections Represent Threats to Democracy

University of Memphis

Nigeria has experienced severe electoral flaws in recent elections, and this represents why poor electoral processes are one of the biggest threats to any democratic nation. Electoral irregularities...

Partisanship and it’s Problematic Implications

University of Memphis

We seem to see partisanship growing more and more around us and in turn, mutual understanding seems to be regressing. After all, why would one trust and try to act in good faith with a perceived...

Poland’s Democratic Resurgence: A Beacon of Hope Amidst Global Backsliding

Northeastern University

After years of a shift towards autocracy, Poland’s democracy is making an appearance once again. Even though there seems to be a worrying trend of increased democratic backsliding all around the...

Democratic Destruction Around The World

University of Memphis

How often has it been publicized that a government leader takes their powers to the next level? More than likely every leader that even ran a country at some point has used their powers to do some...

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