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 blogs reflect the views of the student authors, and not those of the Democratic Erosion Consortium.

Donald Trump’s NSPM-7 Follows Domestic and International Trends In Stealth Authoritarian Power Grabs

President Donald Trump’s recent National Security Memorandum dramatically expands his ability to persecute political enemies, following a trend of erosion of democratic rule that mirrors other developments in U.S politics directed by the president and his supporters.

How Bosnia’s Postwar Framework Made Dodik Inevitable

Nearly thirty years after Dayton, Bosnia’s power-sharing system continues to institutionalize the very divisions it promised to resolve.

The Trump Administration’s Recent Attacks on First Amendment Rights May Mirror Viktor Orban’s Autocratic Ruling Style

Similarities between Donald Trump and Viktor Orban’s populist leadership styles may have dangerous ramifications for the health of the United States’ democracy.

Russian Influence Efforts and the ‘Russophobia’ Narrative in the Baltic States; Evidence from Latvia and Georgia.

Jul 27, 2023 | Arizona State University

Co-Authored by Aiselyn Anaya-Hall and John Kaye Since long before the launch of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the world, and particularly the...

Crackdown of the Civil Society in Belarus

Jul 24, 2023 | Arizona State University

By Carly Chabrier and Veera Tyhtilä On 23 July 2021, the Ministry of Justice of Belarus forced 43 non-governmental organizations to close and terminate all their...

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...

Electoral Maneuvering in Wisconsin during the COVID-19 Public Health Crisis

Apr 8, 2020 | Boston University

The novel coronavirus is now a significant concern within all fifty states. Critically, this public health crisis has struck during an election year, wrecking havoc near the middle of primary...

Electoral Malfunctions, Cancellation, and Protests: The Case of the Dominican Republic

Apr 8, 2020 | Boston University

On February 16th, a few hours after the polls opened for municipal elections in the Dominican Republic, voting machine malfunctions caused the election to be called off. The voting machines left...

Paranoia in America’s Political System

Apr 8, 2020 | Boston University

According to both Richard J. Hofstadter's work titled The Paranoid Style in American Politics and the Miriam-Webster dictionary, "Webster defines paranoia, the clinical entity, as a chronic mental...

COVID-19: Another Blow to American Democracy

Apr 8, 2020 | Boston University

The Coronavirus, or COVID-19 pandemic, is an unprecedented global infectious disease disaster. The initial outbreak was in Wuhan, China at the end of 2019, but it has since spread all over the...