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.

Is It Too Late to Stop Guatemalan Corruption?

Oct 14, 2022 | Ohio State University

Corruption runs rampant in Guatemala - and the destruction of human rights is on its path. Recent years under Guatemala’s last two presidents, Jimmy Morales (2016-20) and...

Georgia’s Politically Motivated Convictions

Oct 14, 2022 | Ohio State University

The country of Georgia, located at the border of Europe and Asia, has recently seen a major constriction of civil liberties. Once a member of the Soviet Union, Georgia is...

Treating the Symptoms Doesn’t Cure the Democratic Disease by EJ Broker

Mar 26, 2019 | Rollins College

Democracy By Coincidence Referenda and recalls are some of the seemingly democratic solutions to the failures of the electoral system or the representatives within it. In the former, the...

Are Local Political Events Becoming A Product Of Democratic Erosion? By Kenneth Davis

Mar 25, 2019 | University of Memphis

On February 19th, 2019 I attended a rally sponsored by mayoral candidate Scott Conger and I immediately felt like a pawn. As I stand there watching fellow citizens waltz through the door with a...

Ranked-Choice Voting Threatens Election Result Legitimacy by Jacob Pollock

Mar 24, 2019 | University of Memphis

Deferred again, the Nashville city council punted on the issue of introducing ranked-choice voting in municipal elections. The proposal was brought forth by councilmember Rosenberg to limit the...

Tennessee Republicans Continue Legislative Overreach by Em Bennett

Mar 24, 2019 | University of Memphis

Following February 2017 shooting of Nashville resident Jocques Clemmons by Metro Police officer Joshua Lippert, Nashville citizens began to call, yet again, for an independent oversight board...

How Bipartisan Committees Resolve Polarization by Vielman Cruz

Mar 24, 2019 | University of Memphis

Mutual tolerance from people of different political ideologies is one of the most important cornerstones of true democracy. These guardrails of democracy are so engrained in the American psyche that...

The Betterment of a City: Memphis City Council Decision Making in Action by Bishop Mcbride

Mar 24, 2019 | University of Memphis

On February 19th, the Memphis City Council held council to discuss numerous issues, but three key ones stood out as most concerning and controversial; the development of a new motor freight site...

Group Polarization by Jacob Murray

Mar 24, 2019 | University of Memphis

February 16, 2019, was a night to remember in Williamson County, Tennessee and a reminder of how partisan we can become if we surround ourselves with only people that agree with us. A sitting United...

Is Smaller Better? The Decision to Deannex South Cordova by Catherine Blackwood

Mar 24, 2019 | University of Memphis

I attended a nearly record breaking 5 hour Memphis City Council meeting on February 19th, where they voted to approve the deannexation of certain sections of the South Cordova area. Currently, those...

Is Government Special Treatment Always A Bad Thing? By Bruce Starnes

Mar 21, 2019 | University of Memphis

Arlington Tennessee was once believed to be the next big city in the Memphis area. It was expected to boom and grow rapidly. It so far has yet to do so but it might be on its...