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.

Democratic Backsliding in the Ukraine Conflict and Renewed Prospects of Re-Democratization in Europe

Oct 13, 2022 | Boston University

The barbaric war in Ukraine seems to have a silver lining - the Russian aggressor has become a catalyst for European states to reevaluate their democratic standing and...

2020 Tanzanian Election: A Disaster in Democracy

Oct 13, 2022 | SUNY-Binghamton

The 2020 Tanzanian presidential election has forever had its reputation tainted by fraud allegations and the use of voter suppression tactics. Journalists and politicians of...

The Detrimental Effects of Party Polarization on Democracy by Christian Santiago

Feb 22, 2019 | Rollins College

A Response to "How the Democratic Shutdown is Threatening the United States Democratic Legitimacy" by Chad Krys The current state of the United States government can best be described as it was by...

The Silent Majority

Feb 22, 2019 | Rollins College

Some may wonder how a populist leader, such as Donald Trump, could ever be elected to hold such a powerful position in politics. Since his election in 2016, there has been a spark for political...

The Republican Party’s Acceptance of Donald Trump by Jacob Buckelew

Feb 22, 2019 | Rollins College

A recent blog post commented on the role of the Republican Party in allowing Trump to get elected in 2016. Most importantly, the post describes the job of political parties to act as gatekeepers in...

Balancing Gatekeeping and Contestation by Rajdeep Singh

Feb 22, 2019 | Rollins College

In response to "How the Republican Party Has Failed American Democracy" by Alison Gerzina The 2016 election of Donald J. Trump as the 45th president of the United States came as a shock to the...

Democracy and Capitalism by Nikola Vuckovic

Feb 22, 2019 | Rollins College

The connection between politics and the economy has always been strong. Through history we can see that they directly influence each other. Things are no different with the politics of today. Our...

The Republican Party’s Role in Democracy

Feb 21, 2019 | Rollins College

Nobody can deny that the election of Donald Trump has shaken up democracy in the United States. His authoritarian tendencies are cause for concern, both for the Republican Party and for the country...

Trump’s National Emergency Declaration Reveals the Undemocratic Nature of the National Emergencies Act by Isa Colyer

Feb 21, 2019 | Saint Louis University

On February 15, President Trump declared a national emergency over the situation on the United States--Mexico border. This move allows the president to divert $3.6 billion from various military...

National Emergency to Build Border Wall by Susmitha Chinni

Feb 21, 2019 | Saint Louis University

On Tuesday, February 15th president Trump declared a national emergency toward the United States and Mexico border. Such powers allow Trump to divert funds from other government departments....

Did the Republican Party Fail us in the 2016 Presidential Election? by Maria Psarakis

Feb 21, 2019 | Rollins College

There’s no debate that throughout the 2016 election, Trump was met with a lot of opposition, not just from Democrats, but members of the Republican party who publically criticized or refused to...