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.

Right Wing Populism in Spain: How the VOX Party Serves as an International Threat to Climate Change

Nov 27, 2022 | Boston University

VOX, a right-wing populism party in Spain, is renowned for its denial of global warming. Experts believe this is the reason for its political success as the party was...

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed: Peacemaker or Authoritarian?

Nov 26, 2022 | Boston University

On November 3rd, 2022 the Tigray war in Ethiopia came to a cease fire. Both sides, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Ethiopian federal government, agreed...

Voter Suppression – An Open Threat to American Democracy

Feb 12, 2020 | Boston University

Election fraud has been one of the most prominent political talking points of the past four years, and the very crux of a democracy is free and fair elections, where one of the most important...

Chile: A Formerly Stable Democracy in Breakdown

Feb 12, 2020 | Boston University

Chile is frequently considered the gem of democracy in Latin American, but recent protests reveal that Chile’s democracy is unstable and rapidly deteriorating. Ongoing protests over rampant...

How The Authoritarian Vision of Trump’s Regime Threatens Our Democratic Identity

Feb 12, 2020 | Boston University

Donald Trump, Adolf Hitler, and Joesph Stalin. What do they all have in common? An authoritarian vision. It may seem foolish and dramatic to compare our current U.S. President with two of the most...

No Insignificant Mistake: Democratic Erosion as a Result of the Bungled Iowa Caucus

Feb 12, 2020 | Boston University

Democratic Backsliding in Italy and the Rise of Matteo Salvini

Feb 12, 2020 | Boston University

The rise of a Populist leader often marks the beginning of a period of democratic erosion in any democracy. In the case of Italy, the far-right antics of deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini marks a...

Peace Through Lies: A President’s Abuse of Power in Colombia

Feb 12, 2020 | Boston University

Colombia has been infamously plagued with terrorism and narco-warfare by consequence of different socialistic guerillas in the country; and these guerillas have been strengthened through autocratic...

American Presidential Illegitimacy and Democratic Norms

Feb 12, 2020 | Boston University

U.S. citizens are losing faith in democratic institutions. According to Gallup polling during January 2nd through the 15th, only 23% of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing [1]. While...

A Case for Democratic Erosion: The Iowa Caucus

Feb 12, 2020 | Boston University

In recent years, fears surrounding the legitimacy of elections has resulted in greater partisan conflict in the United States. The nation has become consumed by accusatory rhetoric and constant...

GOP’s Acquittal of Trump Signals Danger for Democracy

Feb 12, 2020 | Boston University

It is generally believed that checks and balances are fundamental to protecting a democracy from backsliding into a more authoritarian style of government[1]. America’s founders feared a tyrannical...