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.

Stealth Authoritarianism and Feminist Outcry in Iran

Oct 12, 2022 | SUNY-Binghamton

In mid-September of this year Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman was taken into police custody and died shortly after. The police stated that Mahsa Amini had a heart attack...

U.S. Prisons’ Overcrowding Pandemic Failures

Oct 12, 2022 | SUNY-Binghamton

The issue of prison system failures that stem from pandemic regulations (or lack thereof) is a pervasive one across the globe. While pre-pandemic systems were already...

How Britain’s Farewell to the EU Threatens the Irish Peace Process – by Brady Mokrzycki

Feb 13, 2019 | Boston University

On May 22nd 1998, a referendum determined that a majority of Northern Ireland’s population wished to remain a part of the United Kingdom. The Good Friday Agreement between the governments of...

The Democratic System in Today’s Political Climate

Feb 13, 2019 | Boston University

The increasing polarization in the American two-party system may be a step towards democratic erosion. By Adelyn Davidson The democratic system was adopted in the United States to unite the nation...

The Specter of Voter Fraud: Donald Trump and the Delegitimization of Election Integrity by Benjamin Wuesthoff

Feb 13, 2019 | Boston University

During the final Presidential debate of the 2016 election, then candidate Donald Trump alarmed pundits and politicians alike as he declined to confirm whether or not he would accept the results of...

Serbia’s democratic backsliding sees no end in sight by Ryan Stolz

Feb 13, 2019 | Boston University

Within the past few days, Serbia has been downgraded by democracy watchdog Freedom House from a “free” country to a “partly free” country. This decision by Freedom House is no surprise as Serbia and...

Ivory Coast’s Democratic Transgression by Dylan Gleeman

Feb 13, 2019 | Boston University

Ivory Coast is in a clearly defined erosion of their democracy. Democratic erosion is a gradual process that transpires when elected leaders progressively undermine democracy. Oftentimes, it is...

Nigerian President’s Recent Actions and Electoral Opposition Indicate Likely Decline of Democracy by Nick Cook

Feb 13, 2019 | Boston University

As Nigerians prepare to cast votes for the presidency, recent actions by sitting President Muhammadu Buhari and the history of his main electoral opposition, Atiku Abubakar, indicate that democracy...

Hungary’s Democracy on Paper Is a Danger to Europe by Daniel Abramson

Feb 13, 2019 | Boston University

This past week, Freedom House published its annual report on the status of democracy around the world. In the Freedom in the World...

Why The Shutdown is Only the Beginning by Amber Chan

Feb 13, 2019 | Boston University

For over 35 days, the state of the United States was in limbo. From December 22nd until January 25th, the longest government shutdown was a stand-off between Congress and President Trump, mainly...

Stealth Authoritarianism in Practice: Cambodia’s Failed Democracy by Huy Do

Feb 12, 2019 | Boston University

On January 7, 2019, thousands of Cambodians gathered to celebrate the 40th Victory Day, the annual celebration of the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime. At the forefront of this momentous event, Prime...