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.

Why Iran’s Women Are Key to the Undoing of Democratic Erosion

Nov 20, 2022 | Skidmore College

The degradation of civil rights and freedoms within Iran has fallen primarily on women and is responsible for the recent unrest. A protest based on women’s grievances is...

Will El Salvador Ever Have a Real Democracy?

Nov 18, 2022 | Boston University

Gang members are secured during a police operation at Izalco jail during a 24-hour lockdown ordered by El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele in Izalco, El Salvador....

Is Portugal truly on the Path to Stability? by David Christopher Couto

May 18, 2019 | Sacramento State University

Since Portugal renewed it’s democracy in 1976, economic instability and government ineffectiveness have plagued the country. Leaders and government change often while progressive...

The Chipping Away of Democratic Institutions and Norms by Baylee Gunnells

May 11, 2019 | Georgia State University

Many democratic institutions and norms are chipped away to rid the citizens and the government of basic democratic rules. Leaders chip away each aspect that reflects a common standard in their...

From the Ice Caps to Energy: Polarized by Alex Kendrick

May 8, 2019 | Georgia State University

Moderates. Independents. These words seem to have lost their meaning in modern American politics, just something politicians talk about. The idea of those who don’t fly the red or blue flags proudly...

Mass Shootings are Becoming too Normalized in the U.S.

May 8, 2019 | Georgia State University

I had a hard time deciding which U.S event I wanted to write about, however, I found one event that really struck emotionally to...

American Media Produces Biased News Just As Well As State-Led Media Regimes by Ryan Fleishman

May 8, 2019 | University of Chicago

Rampant “Fake” news and politically skewed information are an inevitable product of the current state of news in American society in a way much more dominant and insidious than Putin’s control of...

Voter Turnout in the US

May 8, 2019 | Suffolk University

Signs say "Let Every Vote Count" And "This is America. Count every vote." CD Davidson-Hiers/Florida Phoenix The globe is in the midst of election season — India, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Turkey,...

Erdogan Persists, With Turkey’s Blessing, by Ronen Schatsky

May 8, 2019 | University of Chicago

When Turkey’s voters upended expectations and favored the opposition in the March 31 municipal elections, the question was not how they pulled it off, but how long it would take President Recep...

The Ambiguous Role Polarization May Play by Isabet Tranchin

May 8, 2019 | University of Chicago

Political polarization is often cited as a negative, and occasionally as a competitive positive, for a democracy. Polarization in the United States has become a buzz word that occurs often in...

Media Manipulation in the Trump Era by Radhika Upadhye

May 8, 2019 | University of Chicago

The lines between politics, news, and entertainment can often be blurry, but President Donald Trump and his administration...