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.

Italy’s Submersion into Populism – A Period of Instability Seized for Political Gain

Oct 18, 2022 | Boston University

With a proportional parliament, multi-layered elections, and an established separation of powers in government, Italy would appear to many as a strongly democratic nation....

Is the U.S’s 2022 Election Facing Democratic Backsliding?

Oct 18, 2022 | Boston University

As the US 2022 midterm election continues, there are several phenomena going on in the process. The two political parties; Democrats and Republicans are the two competing...

Chavez and El-Sisi: One and the same?- M. A.

Apr 28, 2019 | University of Chicago

One of the main purposes of a constitution is providing a structure or framework for governance in a country. Constitutions are meant to be flexible and processes are put in place for...

Is Ethiopia really a democracy by Aisha Tewfik

Apr 28, 2019 | Georgia State University

Ethiopia is a unique country as it is has emerged from one of the oldest civilizations of the world, it is the only African country not to be colonized, has a long and rich tradition with over 80...

“Populism” as an Expression of Popular Sovereignty: Democracy as a Threat to Itself? By Ian Henson

Apr 28, 2019 | University of Chicago

A successful representative democracy is dependent on the expression of the citizens’ interests and views in society through “popular sovereignty”. This idea is the foundation of any working...

Fake News and Election Politics by Anjali Nahata

Apr 28, 2019 | University of Chicago

“It is now clear that social media and intensely partisan television and radio broadcasts disseminated a massive number of messages during the 2016 Presidential election campaign designed to...

How the 2020 census is serving to consolidate authoritarian power in the U.S. by Guilherme Soares

Apr 28, 2019 | University of Chicago

The main goal of the census in the United States is to count people, Plain and simple. Regardless of race, ethnicity, age, location, or any of countless other categorizations that people like to...

Beating Populist Rhetoric: The Democrats’ Guide to the 2020 Election by Alexa Keith

Apr 28, 2019 | University of Chicago

On February 3, 2020, the Iowa caucuses will be held, the first step in finding the Democrat who will challenge Donald Trump for the presidency. As of April, 2019, 21 Democrats have declared their...

Who Will Stand Up for Congress? by Ronen Schatsky

Apr 28, 2019 | University of Chicago

The Trump presidency has alarmed lots of people about the power of the executive branch. Democrats and even some Republicans are expressing serious concerns that the President is overstepping his...

Patronage Politics and Democracy: A Mutually Exclusive Pair? – by Matthew Sparks

Apr 28, 2019 | University of Chicago

The fundamental idea of clientelism, at first glance, naturally seems to be a rather undemocratic practice, considering that such patronage-networking effectively encourages outright vote-buying....

Executive Gatekeeping: A Short Lived Honeymoon by Aliza Oppenheim

Apr 28, 2019 | University of Chicago

After the release of the Mueller report, many were shocked to see the number of White House officials, such as former White House counsel Don McGahn and former White House Chief of Staff Reince...