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.

The Polarization and Politicization of the US Supreme Court

Oct 15, 2022 | Boston University

The Supreme Court, as an institution, has endured many changes — from the expansion of the court in 1790 from seven to nine justices, to the court packing plan attempted by...

Coups and Chaos: The Key Factors in Burkina Faso’s Government Gone Wrong

Oct 15, 2022 | Boston University

On September 30, 2022, Burkina Faso experienced its second coup within a year, ousting the now former President Lieutenant-Colonel Pual-Henri Damiba in favor of Ibrahim...

Ethnicity: A Reason for Divide By Humza Usman

Apr 10, 2019 | Suffolk University

Ethnic composition of countries has become more and more prevalent as time has gone on, in large part due to the increases immigration of people to different countries. The United States is a...

The Torch of Freedom: American Democracy and Race By Stiv Mucollari

Apr 9, 2019 | Suffolk University

At the bicentennial anniversary of the declaration of independence, President Gerald Ford remarked at the Old North Church that: “The Declaration of Independence has won the minds; it has won the...

Press freedom and misinformation: challenges for democracy by Daniel Abramson

Apr 9, 2019 | Boston University

Freedom of the press is considered almost unanimously by political scientists and theorists as crucial for a healthy democracy. Freedom of speech, assembly, and press create an environment with many...

International Support for the Opposition Provides Hope for Venezuelan Democracy by Kimberly Stewart

Apr 9, 2019 | Utah State University

The recent stand-off in Venezuela between the authoritarian Maduro regime and the opposition movement has sparked discussion about whether or not the opposition will manage to restore democracy...

The Red Lines of the Yellow Vests: How France’s Political Opportunity Structure Promotes Extra-Institutional Resistance by Benjamin Wuesthoff

Apr 9, 2019 | Boston University

For the past 21 weeks, France’s major cities have been gripped by an atmosphere of civil unrest as thousands of citizens take to the streets and voice their dissatisfaction with the politics and...

President Trump Champions Stricter Barriers of Entry along the United States Southern Border Due to an Overwhelming Influx of Asylum Seekers and Illegal Immigrants By Jarell Insang

Apr 8, 2019 | Boston University

In addition to his examination of a recently renovated portion of border fencing in Calexico, California, President Trump’s roundtable meeting with United States Customs and Border Patrol officials...

The Stealth Authoritarianism of Maduro’s Reelection by Roberto Cordova

Apr 8, 2019 | Boston University

When Venezuela's President, Nicolas Maduro, was sworn in for his second term, absences were felt. Absent were representatives from the United States, European Union, and Lima Group. These countries...

The Necessity of Accountability: Erdogan’s failure to accept local electoral losses could doom Turkish democracy by Nicholas Bornstein

Apr 8, 2019 | Boston University

Under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s democracy has slowly but surely been dismantled. The Turkish President constantly violates the personal liberties of the nation’s citizens –...

Political Polarization Within the Age of Social Media by Sophie Secor

Apr 8, 2019 | Boston University

The United States political field is filled with big names, and even bigger opinions. There are many up-and-coming passionate politicians on both ends of the spectrum. On the left, there are young...