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.

The Judicial Branch’s Downfall

By ruling with bias, the Judicial Branch is overstepping its constitutional role and threatening the integrity of our separation of powers and system of checks and balances.

Israel’s Judicial Reforms: A Potential Danger to Democracy?

Israel’s suggested judicial reforms pose a risk to democratic checks and balances by undermining the independence of the judiciary, centralizing executive authority, and potentially weakening democratic principles, similar to what has been observed in countries like Poland.

Arresting Opposition and Squashing Protests: Democratic Backsliding in Turkey Under Erdoğan

Turkey has been inching towards autocracy under Erdoğan and the AKP for the last 22 years.

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed: Peacemaker or Authoritarian?

Nov 26, 2022 | Boston University

On November 3rd, 2022 the Tigray war in Ethiopia came to a cease fire. Both sides, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Ethiopian federal government, agreed...

Will South Korea Become the Next Victim of Democratic Erosion?

Nov 26, 2022 | Boston University

South Korea is still extremely young in its democracy compared to the rest of the developed world, becoming a democracy post Korean War around 1950. Nonetheless, the...

A shutdown of Democracy

May 4, 2019 | Georgia State University

The Government was recently shutdown via executive order. Although I’m not necessarily a proponent of executive orders because they in many ways bypass the system that our Democracy/Republic was...

Reviving Military in Thailand’s politics by Shihori Maeda

May 4, 2019 | Georgetown University

Thailand has the histories of repetition of coups[1] and elections or military and “democratic” regimes, since the end of the absolute monarchy in 1932. The Thai general elections took place on...

Why It’s Time for a Multilateral Development Aid Agency Focused Exclusively on Democracy by Kevin Martin

May 3, 2019 | Georgetown University

In 2019, Freedom House recorded the 13th consecutive year of democracy in decline, the longest retreat since the organization began producing its flagship report in 1972. As the Third Wave slows,...

Democratic Norms in America by Mya Nelson

May 3, 2019 | Georgia State University

During my semester of taking the course, Global Issues, I have learned a lot. The course was based on various topics including Democratic Erosion. I recently encountered an article that had similar...

Venezuela: Guaido’s Last Stand? by Randolph Kent

May 3, 2019 | Georgetown University

In what could prove to be an enormous blunder, Juan Guaido, Venezuela’s opposition leader, launched a failed coup to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro three days ago. The attempted coup...

Board of Society by Catherine Browder

May 3, 2019 | Georgia State University

Attending the Rockdale County School Board meeting, one may not see this event as an embodiment of democracy. However, this gathering of people giving their opinions on what should happen in the...

How Russia Uses Disinformation to Undermine Democracy Abroad, and What Can Be Done to Stop It

May 3, 2019 | Georgetown University

In the past, the word “authoritarian” brought to mind images of violent repression, censorship, and intensive surveillance, an image that. Today, however, autocrats have a new set of tools that...

The Tribal Constituency: Limited Democratic Flexibility, and the Future of Jordanian Stability

May 3, 2019 | Georgetown University

The strategic integration of a tribal constituency decreases Jordan’s vulnerability to a coup. Yet this same historic factor of regime stability also limits its democratic flexibility, and presents...

Social Media and Democracy by Justin Saint-Loubert-Bie

May 3, 2019 | University of Chicago

On April 30th, the Sri Lankan government lifted a ban on social media it had put in place following the Easter attacks that had killed 253 people. Officials had initiated the ban in fear that social...