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.

In the Aftermath of the Protests: The Once and Future of Sri Lanka

Oct 16, 2022 | Ohio State University

The ongoing 2022 Sri Lankan Protests, called Janatha Aragalaya, or ‘The People’s Struggle’ in Sinhala, are on the surface rooted in the severe economic crisis in the country...

The “Overturning” of Roe V Wade: A Pro-Democratic Process Ruling?

Oct 16, 2022 | Boston University

In delivering the opinion of the court on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito states: “Abortion presents a profound moral issue...

Media Denunciation by Gabriel Moran

Apr 11, 2019 | Suffolk University

Around the world, there has been an attack on the media in countries everywhere that experience democratic backsliding. In places like Turkey, Venezuela, Poland and many more, the media remains...

Kazakhstan’s Elections: A Facade or Genuine Change Towards Democracy? by Michael Caulfield

Apr 11, 2019 | Boston University

Recently, the interim president of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, called for quick elections to help transition the country into having a new, democratically elected leader. However, the...

“Fake News, or No News – The Growing Drought of Local Journalism” By Ruth Jones

Apr 11, 2019 | Utah State University

As local media disappears there is void of answers to the question, what will take its place. The ability of citizens to check the government has long been a necessary virtue for the success of...

Proposal Against Populism Undermined By Left-wing Arrogance by Salvatore Ragonese

Apr 11, 2019 | Suffolk University

John Shattuck, a professor at Tufts University, recently gave a public lecture on the topic of populism and nationalism. Although it touched upon an international issue, Shattuck’s speech was...

The Undemocratic Nature of Disparaging the Press by Emily Dichele

Apr 11, 2019 | Suffolk University

On February 6th, 2019, I attended a Ford Hall Forum event entitled “The Enemy of the People? Freedom of the Press and Democracy” in which Professor Bryan Trabold and Marjorie Pritchard, deputy...

Enforcing Border’s and Ensuring Free Speech: Trump’s Latest in His Pursuit of Re-Election by Matthew Alfonso

Apr 10, 2019 | Boston University

President Trump has recently looked into limiting asylum at the United States border, and will be asking for more border wall funding come 2020. In roughly the same period of time, Trump also issued...

Mitch McConnell’s Attempts at Eroding American Democracy by Kendall Sirica

Apr 10, 2019 | Boston University

Starting his career in the Senate nearly thirty-five years ago and holding positions as the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Majority Whip, Senate Minority Leader, and now...

The Future of Democracy in Sudan: A Fight for Change

Apr 10, 2019 | Suffolk University

22-year-old Alaa Salah leads the uprisings in the capital History is repeating itself in Sudan's capital, Khartoum. In an effort to force President Omar al-Bashir to step down, anti-government...

Attack on Media Freedom in Hungary by Takatoshi Sawayama

Apr 10, 2019 | Boston University

While Western European countries are in a political turmoil, some Central and Eastern European countries face an even graver crisis. Bolstered by skepticism with regards to the European Union, which...