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.

The Judicial Branch’s Downfall

By ruling with bias, the Judicial Branch is overstepping its constitutional role and threatening the integrity of our separation of powers and system of checks and balances.

Israel’s Judicial Reforms: A Potential Danger to Democracy?

Israel’s suggested judicial reforms pose a risk to democratic checks and balances by undermining the independence of the judiciary, centralizing executive authority, and potentially weakening democratic principles, similar to what has been observed in countries like Poland.

Arresting Opposition and Squashing Protests: Democratic Backsliding in Turkey Under Erdoğan

Turkey has been inching towards autocracy under Erdoğan and the AKP for the last 22 years.

2020 Tanzanian Election: A Disaster in Democracy

Oct 13, 2022 | SUNY-Binghamton

The 2020 Tanzanian presidential election has forever had its reputation tainted by fraud allegations and the use of voter suppression tactics. Journalists and politicians of...

Brexit from Liberal Democracy?

Oct 12, 2022 | SUNY-Binghamton

Brexit, the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union (EU), has been met with a multitude of criticism. Brexit, which was deemed to damage the United Kingdom’s...

From Poster Child of Liberalism to “Illiberal State”: Viktor Orban and the Fall of Hungarian Democracy by Christopher Taylor @ Yale University

Apr 4, 2018 | Yale University

On July 30, 2014, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban boldly declared that “the new state we are constructing in Hungary is an illiberal state.” Coming only three months after Orban’s Fidesz party...

Populism resurgent? Evaluating the rise of American populism through the 2018 GOP Race for Connecticut Governor by Christopher Taylor @ Yale University

Apr 4, 2018 | Yale University

On February 21, 2018, three hundred people crowded into a high school auditorium in West Haven, Connecticut to hear a debate between the eight Republican candidates for Governor. With incumbent...

Duterte’s Socialism to Rescue Lumad’s Plight? by Michelle Sto. Tomas @ University of the Philippines, Diliman

Apr 4, 2018 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

The never ending cry for justice of the indigenous tribes in Mindanao, Philippines prompted the current government through a summit held February 2018. Just days after the summit, President Rodrigo...

Voter Participation (Or Lack Thereof) and Democratic Erosion in Switzerland, by Valentina Wakeman at Yale University

Apr 4, 2018 | Yale University

Freedom House has given exceptional democracy ratings to the Swiss Confederation, awarding it near-perfect scores in overall freedom, political rights (39/40), and civil liberties (57/60). Though...

Senator Strangelove, or: How Democrats Learned to Love the Bomb by Sam Sharman @ Georgia State University

Apr 3, 2018 | Georgia State University

Over the past year, media criticism regarding violations of political norms has centered on President Trump and Congressional Republicans. To be sure, Trump’s norm-breaking is without precedent, and...

Protests Do Nothing to Stop Violence Against Ukraine Journalists by Chelsea Bartley @ University of Memphis

Apr 3, 2018 | University of Memphis

In 2000, only four years after Ukraine adopted the Constitution that protected the rights of the press, a scandal broke out. Known as “tapegate”, former President Kuchma was recorded ordering the...

Donald Trump is a Threat to Democracy by Erica Garcia @Memphis University

Apr 2, 2018 | University of Memphis

Trump is a Threat to Democracy Could Donald Trump be the end of American Democracy? Only time will tell if the elected president’s term in office has in fact weakened the democracy of the United...

President Trump and Authoritarian Bullshit: An Analysis–by Chase Dunn @ American University

Apr 2, 2018 | American University

Professor Harry Frankfurt begins his classic essay, “On Bullshit,” with an acute observation: our culture is filled with a fair amount of bullshit. We all contribute a little, and we all believe we...

Israeli – Gaza Border Protests @ University of Memphis

Apr 2, 2018 | University of Memphis

Throughout history, the use of force by the state of Israel for self-defense has long been controversial. Just in the past week, peaceful Palestinian protestors took to the Israeli-Gaza border. Also...