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.

Food Security is Rooted Abroad

Global fertilizer supply chains connect geopolitical events abroad to food production at home in ways most consumers don’t see.

The Meaning of Silence : What the moment of silence for Melissa Hortman says about American democracy

On June 14, 2025, the lives of Melissa Hortman who was a House speaker in Minnesota and her husband Mark were taken in what authorities believe to be a politically motivated act of violence. The same day Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also shot and...

Buying Injustice: The Hidden Harms of this Act.

Are we looking to create a thriving society, or are we allowing fear into the lives of immigrant families? As new immigration policies appear, the question become, how do we prevent the changes that involve separating families and dismantling the place that...

How Did We Get Here? A Look at How Immigration Has Accelerated Populism in the Netherlands

Sep 17, 2024 | University of Denver

How did we get here? This is a question that many across Europe might be asking themselves when looking at the current health of their democracy. The Netherlands is no...

How the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election Contributed to Democratic Erosion

Sep 13, 2024 | Ohio State University

The 2020 U.S. presidential election was an important and influential election in the United States, and one that showed clear signs of democratic erosion in this country....

Have you ever been to a city council meeting?

Apr 2, 2020 | University of Memphis

The seat of government for an entire city considering the passage or failure of new ideas in a meeting that is open to the public…has an audience of 12-15 citizens? Sounds crazy, but it is true. To...

Vladimir Putin: A President for Life?

Apr 2, 2020 | Boston University

2024. The year Vladimir Putin is supposed to step down from power after more than two decades of serving as both President and Prime Minister. After rising to power in the 1990s as a...

Is America Experiencing Democratic Backsliding?

Mar 30, 2020 | Georgia State University

Trump’s presidency has been questioned by many since the beginning. However, it is the recent impeachment trial that has forced more and more people to ask the question if democracy is being...

Minority Parties Win Power, Not Inclusion, in Lithuania

Mar 30, 2020 | American University

In 2016, the populist Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union (LVŽS) took center stage in Lithuanian politics after unexpectedly winning a plurality in the legislative Seimas (Navickas 2017). The...

Gerrymandering – Democratic erosion from the bottom up?

Mar 29, 2020 | Georgia State University

Last summer, the supreme court refused to strike down the practice of partisan gerrymandering. While it is widely considered one of the least democratic aspects of the United States, it is also one...

What Happens When Freedom Erodes?

Mar 28, 2020 | Georgia State University

What Happens When Freedom Erodes? The issue of democracy in the United States has been very much debated. The issues has gained significant popularity during the current presidential...

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Reshuffle Is Step Away From Democracy

Mar 27, 2020 | American University

The recent resignation of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and the ensuring political turmoil in Malaysia is a step backwards for the country’s democracy. Indeed, initial indicators are...

The Self-Preservation Society

Mar 27, 2020 | Rollins College

Intolerant India

Mar 26, 2020 | Rollins College