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.

Church and State: The Catholic Church and Democratic Erosion in Poland

Nov 22, 2022 | Boston University

After Communist rule, Poland transitioned towards democracy. However, since 2015, the Law and Justice Party, or PiS, has maintained control over the state and begun to erode...

Giving a Voice Back to the Silenced

Nov 21, 2022 | Suffolk University

In Iran, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was killed on September 16, 2022, while being detained for "wearing her hijab incorrectly". This sparked a mass of protests throughout the...

Will International Trade Affect the United States Democracy?

Oct 26, 2019 | University of Memphis

International Trade regarding United States Democracy There is nothing new that China plays a huge role with the United States when it comes to World Trade. There is still struggle when it comes to...

Definitely No Deal for Brexit?

Oct 26, 2019 | Salem State University

Finally, the deadline for Brexit is approaching, and time is running out for the UK and the European Union to come to terms with a deal to smoothly transition. The probability of such a deal...

Playing Nice

Oct 24, 2019 | University of Memphis

Show Me What Democracy Looks Like Republicans and Democrats are gravitating away from the center, but Republicans are moving farther faster. It is hard to point a finger like this and still come...

The Democratic and Geopolitical Repercussions of US Withdrawal from Syria

Oct 23, 2019 | Salem State University

The departure of US forces from Syria serves as a capitulation to authoritarian forces and as a death knell to any hope of democratic peace brokering. President Trump’s decision to withdraw US...

Why Is Hong Kong More Important than Jakarta?

Oct 18, 2019 | Salem State University

Does America's political position in the world alter US media? Do current events have to serve a particular political agenda in order to be reported in the U.S? The coverage or lack there of,...

Democratically Wrong: Examining the Authority of Democratic Decisions

Oct 17, 2019 | Salem State University

The pressing political issues of today raise important political questions regarding the value of democratic decisions. Following the most recent Democratic Party debate, the right-side of the...

Trade Disputes Weaken More than Alliances

Oct 17, 2019 | Salem State University

Can a weakened market weaken the foundation of democracy? The strength of democracy is in the people, but if the people loose faith in democracy what could happen? The trade war between the US and...

The Trouble in North Carolina

Oct 17, 2019 | Salem State University

How anti-democratic measures are eroding democratic norms in North Carolina In the book How Democracies Die, Daniel Ziblatt and Steven Levitsky argue that backsliding governments may reject the...

The World’s Biggest Democracy in an Undemocratic Light

Oct 16, 2019 | Salem State University

India, the world’s biggest democratic government, is facing serious challenges to its democracy. To the North, in Kashmir, civil strife is rampant. China, Pakistan, and India all lay claim to parts...