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.

Indonesia: Democracy Is More Than Just Elections

Most people when they hear the word democracy think of elections. Indonesia appears to demonstrate just that. Since the beginning of Suharto's authoritarian rule ended in 1998, Indonesia has experienced peaceful transition of power through elections that are holding...

The Inner Asian Anomaly: How Democracy Works Without Prerequisites?

When you look at the map, Mongolia is positioned at the heart of the Eurasian continent—a location that catches your eye, yet seems a difficult geopolitical position for democracy to survive. Here are a few reasons why Mongolia has political disadvantages in...

Is Polyarchy Ever Finished? The Czech Republic’s Battle Against Democratic Erosion

Polyarchy doesn’t mean democratization is done. To sustain Polyarchy it needs continuous civic engagement. History and the World Wars were rarely on Czechoslovakia’s side. In 1938, before World War II, Czechoslovakia was betrayed by Britain and France, who forced...

Militarizing The U.S. Boarder With Mexico: A Sign Of Democratic Erosion

Apr 17, 2025 | Boston University

On April 11, 2025, President Donald Trump granted the U.S. military permission to occupy federal lands along the border between the United States and Mexico. (Per The...

The JFK Files: Make America Paranoid Again

Apr 17, 2025 | Boston University

Donald Trump recently released 80,000 CIA files on the JFK assassination and the following investigation. These files were released to some degree in 2017, as was mandated...

Icarus from Ipanema: The Fatal Mistake of the Brazilian Left

Oct 23, 2020 | University of Chicago

Allying an anti-corruption and anti-communism discourse with a vague desire for change, Jair Messias Bolsonaro won the turbulent 2018 Brazilian presidential election, surpassing movements like...

A Greene-er Democracy

Oct 23, 2020 | University of Chicago

Amongst the constant chaos that has been this year’s election cycle, it’s easy to miss Marjorie Taylor Greene’s primary win. This past August, Greene beat her Republican primary opponent by 15...

“We Have Had Enough, We Do Not Want to Be Like You”

Oct 23, 2020 | University of Chicago

Last Wednesday Spain reached 1 million Covid-19 cases and the numbers are steadily rising. With official government sources admitting that the real data might be even higher -around 3.5 million...

Executive Aggrandizement in the Time of COVID-19

Oct 23, 2020 | University of Chicago

Since the start of 2020, the COVID-19 virus has rapidly enveloped the world, creating crises across nations. For many governments, crises offer the perfect environment for aspiring autocrats to...

Revolutions in Belarus: A New Strategy for Fighting New Authoritarians?

Oct 23, 2020 | University of Chicago

On August 8, 2020, Belarusians flocked to the polls to vote in their most contested presidential election since 1994. Going into the election, the incumbent, Alexander Lukashenka received a torrent...

Polarization in the Media

Oct 23, 2020 | University of Chicago

Many US citizens currently live in the era of slanted media. Citizens question the legitimacy of the US government and opposing parties, and this has caused the quality of democracy to decline. The...

International Trade: The Looming Executive

Oct 23, 2020 | University of Chicago

In 2016, the election of Donald Trump heralded in an age of unprecedented domestic anxiety. The electorate was bitterly divided between the perception of the president as the downfall and the savior...

Why Gerrymandering Is a Danger to American Democracy

Oct 23, 2020 | University of Chicago

On June 27, 2019, the US Supreme Court gave its ruling on two significant cases called Lamone v. Benisek and Rucho v. Common Cause. The reason why I am linking these two Supreme Court cases together...

Interference at the Ballot Box: Why Voter Suppression Isn’t Just a Swing State Problem

Oct 23, 2020 | University of Chicago

News stories on voter suppression have been a common sight during this election cycle. In early October, Texas governor Greg Abbott (R) ordered that each county will have only one ballot drop box...