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 are student blog posts written by student participants in the Democratic Erosion Course. These posts were not written by nor represent the views of the Democratic Erosion Consortium.

Food Security is Rooted Abroad

Global fertilizer supply chains connect geopolitical events abroad to food production at home in ways most consumers don’t see.

The Meaning of Silence : What the moment of silence for Melissa Hortman says about American democracy

On June 14, 2025, the lives of Melissa Hortman who was a House speaker in Minnesota and her husband Mark were taken in what authorities believe to be a politically motivated act of violence. The same day Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also shot and...

Buying Injustice: The Hidden Harms of this Act.

Are we looking to create a thriving society, or are we allowing fear into the lives of immigrant families? As new immigration policies appear, the question become, how do we prevent the changes that involve separating families and dismantling the place that...

Unraveling Mexico’s Democratic Backsliding: Navigating the AMLO Presidency and the Looming Shadow of His Populism

Apr 10, 2024 | Georgia State University

Andres Manuel López Obrador's presidency significantly shifted Mexico's political landscape. Elected in 2018 with a promise of transformative change under the MORENA party,...

The Israel Effect: What Netanyahu’s Election Says About Trump’s America by Emily O’Malley

Apr 15, 2019 | Rollins College

Many Democrats suspect that, given Trump’s performance thus far, his defeat in 2020 is inevitable, which is perhaps why the Democratic field is replete with challengers hoping to win the presidency....

WHY THE PARTIES ARE INCREASING POLARIZATION AND ITS INFLUENCE ON DEMOCRATIC EROSION BY COLLIN SWORDS

Apr 15, 2019 | Rollins College

Article in reference: https://www.economist.com/united-states/2019/04/13/for-the-first-time-ever-a-majority-of-democrats-identify-as-liberals An article published in the Economist titled...

Attending a City Council Meeting by Sydney Willis

Apr 15, 2019 | Rollins College

Attending a city council meeting is one of the easiest ways to be involved in local politics, but many people don’t attend them because they have a reputation of being long and boring. When I...

The Fragmented State of the Democratic Party by Jacob Buckelew

Apr 15, 2019 | Rollins College

A recent article by David Frum of The Atlantic titled “Democrats Are Falling Into the Ilhan Omar Trap” argues that President Trump is making Representative Omar into the face of the party as the...

The independence of central banks

Apr 15, 2019 | Rollins College

It’s been a long time since a political-economic article has grabbed my attention like The Economist’s “The independence of central banks is under threat from politics.” The article opens with “This...

Why Elizabeth Warren is a Populist

Apr 15, 2019 | Rollins College

Elizabeth Warren is affiliated with the Democratic Party of the United States and is the current senator of the state of Massachusetts. Prior to her political career, she was a prominent academic --...

Populism in the 2020 Presidential Race?

Apr 15, 2019 | Rollins College

When we think of populism, or the rise of populism, it’s pretty easy to think of Donald Trump. We think of his rants against immigrants. We think of his campaign against the elites, his cries to...

ACLU: An Important Resource

Apr 15, 2019 | Suffolk University

I recently attended a lecture given by Rahsaan Hall, director of Racial Justice Program for the ACLU of Massachusetts. I found this lecture to be extremely interesting and relative to the current...

Symptoms of Democratic Erosion in the United States, Stemming from the Simplest Roots of government

Apr 14, 2019 | Suffolk University

During the spring semester of 2019, I attended a Governor’s Council hearing at the Massachusetts State house. I was lucky enough to be invited to the hearing by my aunt who is currently serving her...