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 blogs reflect the views of the student authors, and not those of the Democratic Erosion Consortium.

When Election Results Take Too Long: What Happened in Peru

Elections are supposed to provide clarity. They tell citizens who won, who lost, and what comes next. But in Peru, the recent election did the opposite. Instead of clear results, the country faced delays, protests, and growing accusations of fraud. Thousands of people...

Legislative Capture and the Erosion of Democracy in India

After coming into power following the 2014 election, India’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has initiated an alarming backsliding of democratic institutions and practices. Having recently become the world’s most populous country, India’s dip in authoritarianism should...

Fujimori or Sánchez – How Peru Loses Either Way

In the April 2026 presidential elections in Peru there was a total of 35 candidates. As we approach the runoff vote on the top two candidates, Peruvians are going to be choosing between Keiko Fujimori and her opponent Roberto Sánchez. Both politicians are...

Trump v. United States: A Greenlight for Authoritarianism?

Sep 13, 2024 | Ohio State University

On July 1, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the President of the United States is above the law. In Trump v. United States, the Supreme Court reviewed allegations...

Voter Fraud: The True Threat to American Democracy?

Sep 13, 2024 | Ohio State University

Are American elections just one big rigged system? Though there have been numerous claims of voter fraud, it can be hard to know how truly concerned about it we should be....

Sanders Rallies Up Boston

Mar 5, 2020 | Suffolk University

Over thirteen thousand people gathered around a passionate, hand-talking Bernie Sanders in Boston Common on Saturday, February 29th, proving Sanders’ worthiness of democratic frontrunner in the...

Is Democracy the Answer to Climate Change?

Mar 5, 2020 | Suffolk University

The political importance of climate change concerns democratization directly and indirectly. A firm proposition in political science is that economic development with equitable sharing of the...

Mar 5, 2020 | Suffolk University

Take action on climate change

Mar 4, 2020 | Suffolk University

It is easy to think climate change is not a big deal. Most people tend to worry less when it comes to climate change but it is actually affecting us every second. Why is action needed? There is...

Bernie: A New High for Democratic Socialism

Mar 4, 2020 | Suffolk University

The Bernie Sanders rally was on February 29th in the Boston Common. I saw a wave of progressive democratic socialist showing up by the hundreds and thousands. The total show was around 8,000 and the...

The consequence of Bernie’s appeal to younger generations? A more democratic America.

Mar 4, 2020 | Suffolk University

The younger generations of adults and students were a predominant appearance in the public that attended the recent rally of Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders at the Boston Common. This is...

Can public opinion help pass legislation to slow down global warming on the state level? Yes.

Mar 4, 2020 | Suffolk University

Many people across the United States have lost their faith in the government and are convinced that their voices don’t matter to those in power, so why care? We should care because democracies live...

Conflict Erodes Democracy in Niger

Mar 2, 2020 | Georgia State University

The security system in Niger has weakened due to ongoing conflicts. The absence of a stable government prevents the successful distribution of public services, strong democracy, and peacekeeping...

Peru’s Reformer President Undermines Democratic Norms

Mar 1, 2020 | American University

When Martín Vizcarra first assumed the Peruvian presidency in 2018, he appeared to be the unlikely hero to restore the nation’s faith in democracy. Vizcarra inherited the office of President...