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...

Unprecedented Democratic Backsliding in Hungary: Is it Too Late to Turn Around?

Nov 25, 2022 | Boston University

When Russia launched its barbaric invasion on Ukraine, many expected a silver lining to emerge in which the Russian aggressor would become a catalyst for European states to...

Democracy’s Last Stand in the Middle East: Kais Saied’s Tunisia

Nov 25, 2022 | Boston University

The 2010 revolution in Tunisia did more than just birth the Arab Spring, it birthed democracy for the first time in the country’s history. Previously under Ottoman and...

How Bipartisan Committees Resolve Polarization by Vielman Cruz

Mar 24, 2019 | University of Memphis

Mutual tolerance from people of different political ideologies is one of the most important cornerstones of true democracy. These guardrails of democracy are so engrained in the American psyche that...

The Betterment of a City: Memphis City Council Decision Making in Action by Bishop Mcbride

Mar 24, 2019 | University of Memphis

On February 19th, the Memphis City Council held council to discuss numerous issues, but three key ones stood out as most concerning and controversial; the development of a new motor freight site...

Group Polarization by Jacob Murray

Mar 24, 2019 | University of Memphis

February 16, 2019, was a night to remember in Williamson County, Tennessee and a reminder of how partisan we can become if we surround ourselves with only people that agree with us. A sitting United...

Is Smaller Better? The Decision to Deannex South Cordova by Catherine Blackwood

Mar 24, 2019 | University of Memphis

I attended a nearly record breaking 5 hour Memphis City Council meeting on February 19th, where they voted to approve the deannexation of certain sections of the South Cordova area. Currently, those...

Is Government Special Treatment Always A Bad Thing? By Bruce Starnes

Mar 21, 2019 | University of Memphis

Arlington Tennessee was once believed to be the next big city in the Memphis area. It was expected to boom and grow rapidly. It so far has yet to do so but it might be on its...

The Uncertain Future of Democracy in India by Alison Gerzina

Mar 21, 2019 | American University

With a voting population of 900 million people, India is the world’s largest democracy. But since the election of Narendra Modi in 2014, critics are increasingly voicing concerns that India’s...

The Women’s March: Protest, Participation, and Polarization by Paige Cook

Mar 20, 2019 | Saint Louis University

I found myself standing – marching – down Market Street in St. Louis on a cold January day for the third year in a row. Although the crowds seemed smaller than years past, it was still filled with...

Mr. Bolsonaro Comes to Washington

Mar 19, 2019 | American University

by Sarah Ampolsk “It’s an honor to be here after decades of anti-American presidents,” Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro told U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office today. Bolsonaro, often...

The Lawyers Who Did Not Break

Mar 19, 2019 | Rollins College

The U.S. legal system is withstanding the Trump onslaught. By David Brooks The New York Times February 21, 2019 A crucial question of the Trump years has always been: Will our institutions hold?...