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.

Slovenia’s Return to Democracy

Jun 12, 2022 | Koç University

Though it is true the country faced serious democratic challenges and risk of becoming an autocracy, the newest developments such as the results of elections and the promise...

Mongolia’s Ongi River Movement: A Case of an Active Civil Society

Jun 11, 2022 | Koç University

The Ongi River Movement (ORM) and its successor, the United Movement of Mongolian Rivers and Lakes (UMMRL), later Mongolian Nature Protection Coalition that united 11...

Ghana’s Biometric Voter Register Fights Voter Fraud Without Harming Elections by Thomas Baumgarten @ Ohio State University

Mar 22, 2018 | Ohio State University

After achieving independence on March 6th, 1957 and finally establishing a multiparty democracy in 1992[1], Ghana appears to be on the right track to having a lasting democracy. From then on,...

Trusting the Austrian System by Ron Fornaro @ Ohio State University

Mar 22, 2018 | Ohio State University

Intro On Monday, March 12th, 2018 an Austrian court struck down a law that would have taken away the rights of refugees and other migrant groups to receive health care and other benefits[1]. This...

Political Strife Over “President for Life:” Bolivia’s Outcry Over Morales’ Fourth Term By Cassandra Dula @ The Ohio State University

Mar 21, 2018 | Ohio State University

Despite the results of a referendum held in 2016, Bolivian President Evo Morales has decided to try and run for a fourth term in 2019. As of December 2017, the highest court in Bolivia has given him...

Displaced Puerto Rican Students in CT by Valeria Menendez @ Yale University.

Mar 21, 2018 | Yale University

According to the Connecticut State Department of Education, there were 1,745 displaced students from Puerto Rico in Connecticut schools as of mid-February. Even months after Hurricane Maria left...

Municipal Government in New Haven by Wabantu Hlophe @ Yale University

Mar 21, 2018 | Yale University

When trying to understand what drives democratic erosion, complacency by politicians at the grassroots is often ignored; a worrisome omission, to say the least. Here, we turn our attention to the...

The Dynamics of the New Haven Board of Alders, by Valentina Wakeman @ Yale University

Mar 21, 2018 | Yale University

On February 20th, I attended the New Haven Board of Alders meeting, which meets publicly every month. New Haven has a Board of 30 Alders, each one representing a specific section of the city....

Duterte’s Continuing Paranoia and the Erosion of Philippine Democracy by Patricia Villa @ University of the Philippines, Diliman

Mar 20, 2018 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

President Rodrigo Duterte’s paranoia may just be an ingredient to the brewing erosion of democracy in the Philippines and it is time that we check back on it. Since his ascension to the presidency,...

Iceland’s Minister of Justice Remains in Power, Sending Mixed Signals for the Health of the Democracy by Kasey Powers @ The Ohio State University

Mar 18, 2018 | Ohio State University

Earlier this month, Iceland’s Minister of Justice Sigríður Á. Andersen faced a vote of no confidence in response to her handling of appointments to a newly formed court that took effect in January....

‘Stabilitocracy’ over Democracy in Serbia by Rachel Pomerantz @ University of Pennsylvania

Mar 18, 2018 | University of Pennsylvania

In June of 2017, Ana Brnabic became the first female and first openly gay prime minister of Serbia. Coupled with the overtures by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel...