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 house is burning from the inside out: American democracy is dying

” There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide” - James Adams. If the average empire fails at 250 years and America is 248 years old, could we say that the death of democracy was something foreseeable and the uprise in authoritarian form of government...

Demagogues: Turning America into the Child Left Behind

The emergence of technofascist demagogues in American politics pose a significant threat to democracy and education, highlighting the urgent need for critical thinking and informed choices to protect the nation’s future.

Germany’s Defense of Democracy

Populism is rising in Germany, with the far-right political party, Alternative for Germany, gaining more and more popularity that echo dangerous anti-democratic trends from Germany, raising concerns about the future of Germany’s democracy.

The Foreshadowing of Elon: What DOGE Says About the Trump Administration

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

So far, the return of the Trump administration has been a flurry of activity with over 60 executive orders ranging in subject matter from immigration reform to climate...

Attempted Coup in South Korea! Thwarted?

Feb 14, 2025 | Brown University

Abstract: South Korea faced an attempted coup in December by President Yoon Suk Yeol with the enactment of martial law. Fortunately the South Korean National Assembly and...

The Root of Myanmar’s Unending Civil War

Apr 29, 2024 | Ursinus College

Myanmar as a nation is poverty-stricken, polarized, and plagued with military rule, completely ravaged by an ongoing civil war. Freedom House gives the country a total freedom score of 9 out of 100,...

Trying to Revive democracy in Honduras by Neil O’Donnell

Apr 29, 2024 | Ursinus College

Trying to Revive democracy in Honduras Honduras has been a Democracy that has been struggling for a very long time with multiple aspects of society and Government. We have seen time and time again...

Do Americans’ views on identity increase the risk of democratic erosion in the United States?

Apr 26, 2024 | William Jewell College

“Our democracy is at stake” might as well become the official tagline for all U.S. elections. The threats of authoritarianism and democratic erosion seem to always be leering around the corner, and...

Poland’s Democratic Paradox: The Remarkable Path Toward (and Away?) from Democratic Erosion

Apr 25, 2024 | William Jewell College

For any country, democratic backsliding can happen suddenly and, seemingly, unpredictably. The case for Poland, however, demonstrates predictors of erosion unseen anywhere else. These unique signs...

Can an Earthquake Threaten the Non-Democratic Reign of Morocco’s King?

Apr 23, 2024 | Ursinus College

The wealthiest man in Morocco has little interest in abdicating his throne. He has barely any interest in spending his time in the land that he rules, either – former officials claim he was out of...

The Lack of Humanitarian Aid in Haiti

Apr 21, 2024 | Ursinus College

Haiti is currently facing a political and social crisis. The rest of the world has fallen silent in terms of providing necessary aid and military action to help the victims of Haiti. Haiti is a...

Corruption, Economics, and Catastrophe: Democratic Erosion in Brazil

Apr 19, 2024 | William Jewell College

Today in Brazil, corruption charges could undermine democracy. While the democracy holds competitive elections and sits on a 72% "free" scale, the country holds high when it comes to polarization,...

Orbán and Trump: Faces of Dying Democracies.

Apr 19, 2024 | Ursinus College

Donald Trump has been compared to a lot throughout his mediocre rise into politics. Even during the infancy of his 2016 election, Trump was being compared to dictators, tyrants, and demagogues...

Brazil’s Political Maze: Navigating Turbulence and Corruption

Apr 19, 2024 | Ursinus College

In recent years, Jair Bolsonaro, the former president of Brazil, has found himself under heightened scrutiny due to ongoing investigations into allegations of corruption. These investigations, which...