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.

Strict Voter Photo Identification Laws: A New Threat to Democracy with Historical Roots

Jun 25, 2022 | University of Denver

Restrictive voter ID laws have become increasingly salient as more states pass or introduce legislation making identification a central part of voting (Hajnal et. al.,...

2022 Lebanese Elections: Hope for Democratic Reform

Jun 15, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

The 2022 Lebanese general elections that took place on May 15th has signaled a shift in both public opinion and the balance of power within the National Assembly. Gaining...

Women will Ensure the Democratic Future of Tunisia by Anagha Kadambi @ American University

Mar 27, 2018 | American University

Tunisia was thrust into the international spotlight when a protest movement that swept the nation led to the resignation of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the longtime dictator of the country, on January...

Puerto Rican Student Arrivals in New Haven by Tyler Morley @ Yale University

Mar 26, 2018 | Yale University

On September 20, Hurricane Maria struck the island of Puerto Rico with the intensity of a category 4 storm. The storm battered the island for hours destroying electrical transmission towers, homes,...

Back and Forth: Romanian democracy is teetering by Marissa Kelly @ The Ohio State University

Mar 26, 2018 | Ohio State University

Only a year after massive, week-long demonstrations—the likes of which had not been seen in Romania since the demonstrations leading up to the fall of the Communism—Romanians took to the streets...

The Outsiders by Evelyn Kennedy @ The Ohio State University

Mar 25, 2018 | Ohio State University

Donald Trump both gets a lot of flak and creates a proud identity for himself as a political outsider and former reality star. Off the screen and into the Beltway, he played on this “outsider”...

Hungary’s Embrace of Illiberal Democracy by Nicole Wells @ American University

Mar 25, 2018 | American University

Just before the Hungarian national election in 2014, Prime Minister Victor Orban declared his intention to build an illiberal state in Hungary. Orban said the “Hungarian nation is not a simple sum...

In Ukraine, Revolutionary Hopes and Democratic Limbo by Joseph Glandorf @ The Ohio State University

Mar 24, 2018 | Ohio State University

On March 3, police in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, forcibly dismantled a camp of anticorruption protesters outside the Ukrainian Parliament, resulting in a violent clash, about 20 injuries, and over 100...

Too Many Acts of Violence Involved in Sierra Leonean General Election, 2018, Hurt the Democracy in Sierra Leone by Lei Guo @ Ohio State University

Mar 24, 2018 | Ohio State University

On March 7th, the voting result of Sierra Leonean General Election, 2018 came out. Turned out, Julius Maada Bio from Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) got 43.3% of the total votes. Samura Kamara,...

Parliament vs President – Is decentralizing executive power actually harming Georgia’s democracy? By Aaron Riggins @ The Ohio State University

Mar 23, 2018 | Ohio State University

Georgia is no stranger to authoritarianism. A former soviet republic, the country has been staving off both domestic and foreign attempts to subvert its democracy for decades. In the last twenty...

Hope in Paraguay by Mohamed Farah @ The Ohio State University

Mar 23, 2018 | Ohio State University

A leftist government, a coup orchestrated by the right, and somehow, after all of this: an election. This may sound like a political thriller set to hit the box office, but this is the political...