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.

Democratic Backsliding: Be Observant

Setting the Stage for Autocracy Democratic backsliding is nothing if not the gradual death of democracy. Democracy is eroded through incremental steps taken by the dominant political party to consolidate power into their own hands. The specific means of doing this is...

Propaganda, The Iran War, and Democratic Erosion

The U.S. response to the Iran conflict demonstrates how propaganda and narrative manipulation transform foreign policy into a domestic political tool, contributing to democratic erosion by undermining informed citizenship, weakening accountability, and expanding...

Israel’s Nation-State Law and the Fight Over Belonging

Israel’s Nation-State Law and the Fight Over Belonging Every democracy is based on a single premise: equality. That is why Israel’s 2018 Nation-State Law matters. In July 2018, the Israeli Knesset passed Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People, also...

When Scapegoating Becomes Strategy: Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric

Apr 17, 2026 | Boston University

"I feel like my country is being stolen by people who have come here illegally," a Tea Party member told researcher Arlie Hochschild. "People come in and have the benefits...

Polarization or Resilience? Interpreting Taiwan’s 2025 Recall Movement

Apr 17, 2026 | Boston University

Taiwan’s 2025 “Great Recall” campaign marked an unprecedented moment in the island’s democratic history. On July 26, voters were asked whether to recall 24 of 113...

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

May 9, 2025 | Tulane University

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...

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

May 8, 2025 | Tulane University

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...

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

May 7, 2025 | Tulane University

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...

Democracy Six Feet Under: How Disinformation is Burying Philippine Democracy Alive

May 7, 2025 | Featured, University of the Philippines, Diliman

Philippine democracy is in great danger once again now that the two families who benefited the most from disinformation – the Marcoses and Dutertes, are in power and have turned against one another....

MAGA Meritocracy and Populist Ironies: Eroding Democracy from Within?

May 6, 2025 | Tulane University

The MAGA movement’s embrace of “meritocracy,” often wielded against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, reveals a profound and damaging contradiction at the heart of its populist...

Redefining the West: How JD Vance’s Speech in Munich became a Turning Point in Transatlantic Politics

May 6, 2025 | Tartu University

On February 14, 2025, JD Vance, the Vice President of the United States, addressed the Munich Security Conference. This conference is one of the world’s most important forums on international...

How to Control What You Cannot Have: China’s Strategic Use of Disinformation to Undermine Taiwanese Democracy

May 6, 2025 | Featured, Tulane University

We understand democratic erosion as democratically elected leaders eroding the mechanisms of fair democracy after entering office. What happens when the threat is external? As the percentage of...

Still Waiting in Line: How Emotional Disconnection and Democratic Erosion Shaped the 2024 Election.

May 5, 2025 | Tulane University

The most dangerous threat to democracy is a story that convinces people they no longer need it. By weaponizing grievances, channeling emotional disconnection, and positioning himself as the only one...

Trash-talking democracy to remain in power: Costa Rica’s changing political landscape

May 5, 2025 | Tulane University

The election of populist President Rodrigo Chaves in 2022 has called into question Costa Rica’s reputation for democratic stability and peaceful tradition. As reflected in recent events, the group...