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.

U.S. Democracy Threatened at its Birthplace: Doug Mastriano’s Rise in Pennsylvania

Sep 30, 2022 | Ohio State University

Pennsylvania Statehouse - Harrisburg, Pennsylvania One of the most troubling developments of the 2022 election cycle has been the nomination of Doug Mastriano to be the...

Mar-a-Lago Raid: How Trump’s Attacks on the Judiciary Spell Disaster

Sep 30, 2022 | Ohio State University

On August 8th, for the first time, law enforcement agents raided the home of a former president on suspicion of criminal activity. The ensuing legal conflict between former...

Who has the real power? by Manny Sodhi

Feb 7, 2019 | Rhode Island School of Design

When I sat down to watch this documentary, I was completely unaware of the existence of the events it addresses. As the documentary went on, I was intrigued by the series of events that were...

Considering the Retirement Funds for a City by Amanda Han

Feb 7, 2019 | Rhode Island School of Design

On the morning of January 30th, Soeun Yoon and I visited the City Hall of Providence. It was 10:30 a.m. on a Wednesday morning, and the Board of the Employees' Retirement System was holding their...

Building Civic Engagement For Protest by Nina Gregg

Feb 6, 2019 | Rhode Island School of Design

The connection between the government and it’s residents has to change, and it is. From political performance art of Ai WeiWei, or the Women’s March, to voting in a midterm election, people are...

Yellow Vest Protests in France by Joe Bodnar

Feb 6, 2019 | American University

The Yellow Vest protests mark a period of disruption in France’s long, disordered history with liberal democracy. Galvanized behind the symbol of high-visibility jackets, the Yellow Vests mobilized...

Bureaucracy and democracy needs each other by Yunyao Gu

Feb 6, 2019 | Rhode Island School of Design

"Recent reconstruction programs for Providence RIPTA bus service have received funds around 74 million dollars from Rhode Island Government." said by Greg Nordin, Director of Planning in RIPTA bus....

Exemplify the Love : A Lecture With Dr. Cornel West by Jack Wulf

Feb 6, 2019 | Rhode Island School of Design

Dr. Cornel West, a philosopher, author, professor, and activist, believes that we as people need to preserve the love of truth and beauty. On January 23, 2019, Dr. Cornel West shared his...

One Bite at A Time to Devour Chinese Authoritarianism | by Zitian Sun

Feb 5, 2019 | American University

An Author's Note: This blog post was developed partially based on an on-going research project on the 1989 Tiananmen Student Protest. Two-Third of the U.S. Population on the Move? Considering...

Retirement System: Democratic Institution by Soeun Yoon

Feb 5, 2019 | Rhode Island School of Design

On a Wednesday morning at 10:30 am, I had the opportunity to attend an open meeting with a friend about Retirement with the Board of the Employees' Retirement System. The event was held on the third...

Demystifying Democracy: Understanding Rhode Island House Rules

Feb 5, 2019 | Rhode Island School of Design

Many in Rhode Island vote for their representative, but few know the ins and outs of the House of representatives. The mission of the organization Common Cause is...