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.

Is Democracy in the United States Backsliding?

Sep 30, 2022 | Ohio State University

In recent years the state of democracy, even in the United States, has been questioned and even described as democratically backsliding. This seems to be a scary thought for...

National Security v. Civil Liberties – Government Surveillance and the Concerning Power of the State Secrets Privilege

Sep 30, 2022 | Ohio State University

In the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks, the United States government adopted extensive surveillance measures in the hopes of preventing further tragedies....

City of Providence Aims to Prohibit All Property Demolitions and Increase Nurse Practitioner & Teacher Diversity by Alex Riddle

Feb 2, 2019 | Rhode Island School of Design

The City of Providence strong-arms business opportunities with new limitations to property demolitions and developments. Are our representatives acting in our best interest? THE SCENE: 444...

Is democracy declining in Israel? by Tal Been, Gal Factor, Or Hcabra, Shaked Infeld, Tally Kyegan, Noam Noy, Daniel Padon,and Sharon Somech

Jan 14, 2019 | Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

The Department of Government and Politics at Ben-Gurion University recently hosted (17/2/18) a panel entitled: “Is democracy declining in Israel?,” featuring prominent scholars who study the Israeli...

Is Democratic Backsliding Sometimes a Democratic Choice? by Ji’Carla Martínez @University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Dec 10, 2018 | University of Louisiana, Lafayette

As defined by political scientists, democratic backsliding is the gradual breakdown of democratic institutions within a country. With the rise of populism and nationalism being reflected in various...

United States of Democracy

Dec 10, 2018 | University of Louisiana, Lafayette

Before World War II, America tried to keep to itself. The young country was trying to keep its head above water after decades of economic recessions off and on. After the two World Wars, America...

Much A Coup About Nothing: Examining the Distinction Without Difference Between Coups d’Etat and Promissory Coups by Steve Noyes @ University of Louisiana, Lafayette

Dec 10, 2018 | University of Louisiana, Lafayette

Exploring the concept of the promissory coup as it relates to the traditional coup d'etat. The general global decline in coups d’état, while a positive facet of the ever-changing...

Backrubbers of the Elite: on the U.S Surveillance State & Doubting the “Arc of History”

Dec 10, 2018 | University of Louisiana, Lafayette

There is almost no other political expression as irritatingly frustrating to me as the “arc of history” is. The phrase, as popularized by President Obama during his tenure, has become a safety...

A Not So Secret Ballot? By: Jackson A. Jimenez @University of Louisiana

Dec 9, 2018 | University of Louisiana, Lafayette

Are digital voter files undermining free and fair elections in the United States? Could the United States’ democratic electoral processes be under assault at the hands of...

Silent vs. Screaming: How Millennials are Giving Up Privacy while the Silent Generation Hangs On by Molly Simpson @ University of Louisiana, Lafayette

Dec 8, 2018 | University of Louisiana, Lafayette

Pippa Norris’s article Is Western Democracy Backsliding? Diagnosing the Risks analyzes period, life-cycle, and generation effects in public opinion. It was an intriguing read...

Reaching a Compromise on Gun Safety by Matthew Mottet @ Georgia State University

Dec 6, 2018 | Georgia State University

As of October 2018, there have been 47,225 gun-related incidents in the United States, with 11,984 of those incidents resulting in death. The issue our group attempted to resolve is improving gun...