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.

You Can’t Sit with Us: The Practice of Democratic Gatekeeping and How It Has Saved Democracies

At the 11th hour of the 2024 election many Republican politicians and members of congress took a stance against Republican candidate, Donald Trump. Through the “Republicans for Harris” tagline, they urged their supporters through various forms of appeals to vote...

The Erosion of an Already Weak Democracy: The Rise and Fall of Jovenel Moïse

Jovenel Moïse's presidency marked a dangerous shift from Haiti's already shaky democracy to overt authoritarianism. Delayed elections, unchecked abuse of executive power, and violent suppression of resistance became the norm. By the time of his assassination in 2021,...

Undermining the Feedback Loop: How Trump’s Educational Policies Hinder Democratic Accountability

In a larger trend of censoring opinions which the Trump administration views as undesirable, the Trump administration’s actions towards schools and universities has a negative impact on democracy as a whole. Such a system depends on the free transmission of...

The Problem with Venezuela’s Elite

Nov 22, 2022 | Boston University

Since Hugo Chávez's ascension to power, Venezuelan elites have allowed for, and enabled the country's descent into authoritarianism. In September 2022, Governor Ron DeSantis...

Church and State: The Catholic Church and Democratic Erosion in Poland

Nov 22, 2022 | Boston University

After Communist rule, Poland transitioned towards democracy. However, since 2015, the Law and Justice Party, or PiS, has maintained control over the state and begun to erode...

The Implications of a Trump Impeachment, or Lack Thereof by Maria Psarakis

Mar 30, 2019 | Rollins College

Cries for impeachment have echoed across the country since the day Donald Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States of America. Admittedly, a lot of these cries arose before any...

Democracy Working With Businesses By Matthew Bellow

Mar 30, 2019 | University of Memphis

The decisions and negotiations that City Hall makes with both local and major businesses try to advocate for change. Change that attempts to provide the best impact for the greatest amount of...

Implications of Impeachment by Emily Curran

Mar 28, 2019 | Rollins College

Impeachment of a President has only happened twice in United States history; once with Andrew Johnson in 1868 and once with Bill Clinton in 1998. Impeachment is the legislature's ability to check...

The Oldest Continuous Democracy in Africa is Reported to be on a Negative Governance Trajectory by Dylan Gleeman

Mar 28, 2019 | Boston University

Botswana gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1966 and, since its liberation, has had free and fair elections. It has also averaged an 8.7% annual economic growth rate until 2008...

Charter Schools, Vouchers, and School Choice- We Want to Know Where We’re Headed… Right? by Cedric Williams

Mar 26, 2019 | University of Memphis

This past February I had the that opportunity to attend a legislative breakfast hosted by the Tennessee Charter School Center and in it, realized one very important thing- no one there knew what the...

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...