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.

First 100 Days, More Like First 100 Hours: How Trump’s First 100 Days Played Out Against Trump’s Second 100 Hours

Indiana Senator Jim Banks, a staunch Trump ally, predicted that President Trump’s return to power would be characterized by “shock and awe.” In many ways, the events of President Trump’s first 100 hours in office during his second term have lived up to that promise....

History Repeats: Why Strong Global Defense is Key to Preventing Autocracy

A strong and consistent global defense by democratic nations is crucial to preventing the rise of autocratic regimes, as history shows—from the Cold War doctrines to the failed democratization of Afghanistan—that without committed follow-through and structural reform, authoritarian forces will exploit weaknesses and reclaim power.

Women in Political Dynasties: The Illusion of Choice and Democratic Erosion in the Philippines

Political dynasties have long controlled Philippine politics, with powerful families passing down leadership positions across generations. Despite the imposition of term limits discouraging dynastic rule, these families have found their way around the constitutional...

The Creation of the National Constituent Assembly

Nov 27, 2022 | Boston University

The National Constituent Assembly Creation Venezuela was once seen as a country that seemed to be on the right track to democracy in Latin America, but that changed when...

Election-Deniers as Political Officials, American Democracy in Peril

Nov 27, 2022 | Boston University

The democratic institutions of the United States of America are in a highly precarious position. In the 2020 presidential election Donald Trump tested the guardrails of...

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...

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...