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.

Amnesty, an Age-Old Fix for Spain’s Deep Divide

"La Diada," a Catalan holiday, commemorates the surrender of Barcelona to Spanish forces in 1714 and the defeat of Catalan forces. As a result of this unfortunate incident in Catalan history, the Spanish intentionally stepped on Catalan law, customs, and language in...

Are you MAGA, even? How Polarization Ties Into Democratic Erosion

By definition, democracy requires multiple parties to function, but the proudest democracy of the modern age is facing issues as a direct result. The United States is currently experiencing one of its most politically polarizing climates in history, resulting in...

How Recent Discriminatory Kansas Legislation is Accelerating Democratic Backsliding in the U.S.

As Kansas’s discriminatory SB 244 becomes law, America is closer than ever to abandoning democracy and becoming a competitive oligarchy.

Is Thailand a Democracy? Its 2023 Election Suggest Not

Nov 21, 2023 | Northeastern University

Despite not winning Thailand’s most recent election in May 2023, Srettha Thavisin of the Pheu Thai Party (PTP) became the nation’s prime minister in August. How could...

Czechia: Is Democratic Erosion Covertly at an All Time High?

Nov 21, 2023 | University of Memphis

In the heart of Central Europe, Czechia, formerly known as the Czech Republic, has long been celebrated for its rich history and democratic evolution post the Velvet...

How Religious Representation Erodes Democracy in Lebanon

Apr 7, 2020 | Utah State University

After decades of sectarian rule, the people of Lebanon have had enough. Since the end of the First World War, and the beginning of the French presence in the country, they have been living in a...

Trump’s Authoritarian Tendencies and its Relation to Covid-19

Apr 7, 2020 | Boston University

With 330,891 current cases of Covid-19, this virus has affected people in every aspect of life from elections to employment. Trump has engaged in various activities that can be considered...

Democracy’s enemy within

Apr 7, 2020 | Rollins College

The Economist August 31st 2019 Democracy’s enemy within Cynicism is gnawing at Western democracies Democracies are generally thought to die at the barrel of a gun, in coups and revolutions. These...

Combatting Cynicism: The Great Threat to American Democracy

Apr 7, 2020 | Rollins College

The United States has always been characterized by optimism and progress, embedded in our unalienable rights to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Unfortunately, negativity has been slowly...

Targeted Political Ads Aren’t the Only Thing Social Media Uses to Affect Politics

Apr 6, 2020 | Rollins College

A response to “Policing Propaganda.“ The role of social media in politics came to the forefront during the 2016 United States presidential election. Instead of waiting for the headlines and watching...

Social Media Manipulation: The Threat to Democracy and How to Correct it

Apr 6, 2020 | Rollins College

In the Economist article, “Policing Propaganda,” one of the major threats to democracy stems from one of its key supporting agents, the news, or rather through its manipulation, which can alter the...

How digital politics regulation by lawmakers could affect democracy.

Apr 6, 2020 | Rollins College

About a hundred years ago the invention of the telegraph not only facilitated long-distance communication but also did “a lot to clean up politics” as mentioned in the New York Times. It...

Democratic Erosion during National Emergencies: Voting Rights in the United States throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic

Apr 6, 2020 | Boston University

Senators Amy Klobuchar and Ron Wyden recently proposed emergency voting reforms which would allow every U.S. state to expand the use of vote-by-mail. According to Klobuchar, these changes would help...

Resentment and Conspiracy Theories in a Digital Context: An Insight on Online Campaign Regulation

Apr 6, 2020 | Rollins College

In the article “Policing Propaganda” from The Economist, the main topic is online campaigning in the United States and Britain within recent years. Online campaigning is compared to the initial use...