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.

Fighting Fake News: Lessons from the World’s Top Target

2018 was a year of awakening in Taiwan. Two high-profile events threw the consequences of fake news into relief. First, Su Chii-cherng, the envoy to Osaka for the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, took his own life in September 2018 after false reports about him...

Can Democracies Wait Another 2,500 Years to Meet Today’s Needs?

In 500 BC, during Athens' golden age of democracy, the voting age was set at 18. Over 2,500 years later, this threshold remains the same in the vast majority (90%) of countries. However, as democracies grapple with rising populism, authoritarianism, marginalization of...

Présidence Impériale: Executive Aggrandizement in Macron’s France

Amidst significant challenges to France’s democracy, President Emmanuel Macron has ignored democratic norms and abused constitutional articles to expand his own power—periling France’s democracy.

Sheinbaum’s Folly: How a Weak State Undermines Mexico’s Democracy

Brown University

Draped in the green, white and red of the Presidential Sash, Claudia Sheinbaum, 62, delivered her inaugural speech as Mexico’s 66th President. “We are a free,...

Impairing Amparo: How Recent Constitutional Changes Undermine Mexican Democracy

Brown University

Journalists and democracy advocates sounded the alarm last month as former Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador spent his final weeks in office pushing forward...

Reflection on Moving Forward: Local Governance Approach to Mitigate Conflict and Elevate Civilian Engagement and Freedom of Expression in Burma/Myanmar

School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

Many think tanks, ethnic leaders, and some researchers in Myanmar always argue that the concept of federal democracy is suitable to adopt and practice in a country like Myanmar, a country with...

Tensions Escalate Following Terrorist Attack in Northern Kosovo

Salem State University

By Luciano Hoxhaj On September 24, 2023, more than 30 armed Serbs attacked a monastery in Banjska, a village near Kosovo’s northern border with Serbia. The attack saw four dead, including three...

Ghana Protests: Example of Democratic Backsliding

Salem State University

In September, Ghana saw a wave of protests against the economic crisis that has been ravaging the country for the past five years. The protests happened in front of the presidential palace (Jubilee...

Recommendations for Addressing Yemen’s Challenges

School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

Introduction Yemen has undergone substantial economic, political, and social developments during the last four decades. Notably, there were uprisings in North Yemen in September 1962 against the...

“Vietnam’s Ongoing Battle Against Corruption: Progress, and Challenges”

School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

Introduction Vietnam introduced the Anti-Corruption Law, which came into effect on July 1, 2019, and forms the basis for the application of the Penal Code in relation to bribery offenses. The law...

Unstable Politics in Myanmar: A Wicked Problem for ASEAN?

School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

Introduction The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has faced an enormous challenge as a result of the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021. The group has come under criticism for...

Institutional Chess: How Institutional Arrangements Propel Junta Leader Min Aung Hlaing

School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

In the world of authoritarian regimes, the longevity of autocratic leaders often hinges on the institutions they establish and control. Myanmar has been a prime example of this dynamic, how...

Tunisia’s Democratic Backslide: The Kais Saied Era and the Perilous Road to Electoral Autocracy

School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

In the aftermath of the Arab Spring, Tunisia emerged as a beacon of hope for democracy in the Middle East. It was hailed as the success story, the nation where popular protests led to the toppling...

Democratization and Federalism in Myanmar: Shifting Power Dynamics after the 2021 Military Coup

School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

Introduction Myanmar's struggle for democracy and federalism has spanned 75 years since its independence in 1948, and it remains an ongoing challenge. The country requires an acceptable constitution...

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