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 Power of the Young: A New Era of Democracy for Bangladesh

Dec 5, 2024 | Brown University

Throughout Bangladesh’s history and into the present, student- and youth-led movements have spearheaded efforts to influence political change. Examples like the 1969 revolt...

How the European Union Facilitates Democratic Erosion At Home

Dec 5, 2024 | Brown University

Protecting and fostering democracy has been a cornerstone of the European Union project since its founding. Yet the recent rise of antidemocratic regimes in countries like...

Progressive Federalism in Practice: State Attorneys General As Safeguards Against Executive Aggrandizement

Oct 20, 2020 | Williams College

“Trump gets powerful new rival in Letitia James,” proclaimed one headline. “The thorn in Trump's side,” said another, soon after New York Attorney General Letitia James took office in 2019. Almost...

“Democratic” Elections in Cameroon

Oct 20, 2020 | Williams College

What does it mean when everyone already knows the results of an election months, or even years, before it occurs? The citizens of Cameroon, a country in Central Africa, expect the...

Partisanship: A Threat to American Judicial Independence

Oct 20, 2020 | Williams College

It is no secret to pro-democracy advocates and authoritarian rulers alike that an independent judiciary is a fundamental protection against authoritarian regression. Indeed, an independent judiciary...

American Exceptionalism or An Eroding Election?: Destructive Voting Procedures in the United States

Oct 20, 2020 | Williams College

During a Virtual Roundtable on Voting and Electoral Manipulation that occurred on Friday, September 25th, democratic erosion experts pointed to the unfortunate fact that voters in the United States...

Looking Beyond the SHIELD ACT: American Responses to Foreign Intervention Are Too Limited in Scope

Oct 19, 2020 | University of Chicago

Reforms proposed in the SHIELD ACT to limit foreign financial contributions in the 2020 election are insufficient to protect electoral integrity. Foreign agents have other political tools at their...

Subjugating the Fourth Branch: the Case of Public Media in the Polish Presidential Election

Oct 19, 2020 | University of Chicago

On June 13th 2020, the incumbent Andrzej Duda secured another 5 years in office as the president of the Republic of Poland. After a fierce battle and with a mere 400 thousand votes of advantage, he...

Thriving in the Time of Corona: New Zealand’s Exemplary COVID-19 Response

Oct 19, 2020 | Williams College

New Zealand’s response to the COVID-19 epidemic under the leadership of Jacinda Ardern and the labour party has arguably been the best in the world. The strength of a government can be defined by...

Cancel Nation: How Cancel Culture Undermines Democratic Discourse Through Self-Censorship

Oct 19, 2020 | Williams College

Now more than ever, people are scared to say what they really think. Whether at dinner tables, at work, or in classrooms, our social interactions have devolved into fear: fear of what other people...