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...

The Subtle Threat: Unraveling the Power of Propaganda in Modern Democracies

Feb 27, 2024 | American University

In today's complex information landscape, the insidious influence of propaganda poses a significant threat to the health of democracies worldwide. While often overlooked or...

Democratic Erosion in Bolivia

Feb 27, 2024 | William Jewell College

The story of democratic erosion in Bolivia is not a normal case of democratic erosion. Often in analyzing democratic erosion, there is a clear cause and effect. The Bolivia...

Ethnicity: A Reason for Divide By Humza Usman

Apr 10, 2019 | Suffolk University

Ethnic composition of countries has become more and more prevalent as time has gone on, in large part due to the increases immigration of people to different countries. The United States is a...

The Torch of Freedom: American Democracy and Race By Stiv Mucollari

Apr 9, 2019 | Suffolk University

At the bicentennial anniversary of the declaration of independence, President Gerald Ford remarked at the Old North Church that: “The Declaration of Independence has won the minds; it has won the...

Press freedom and misinformation: challenges for democracy by Daniel Abramson

Apr 9, 2019 | Boston University

Freedom of the press is considered almost unanimously by political scientists and theorists as crucial for a healthy democracy. Freedom of speech, assembly, and press create an environment with many...

International Support for the Opposition Provides Hope for Venezuelan Democracy by Kimberly Stewart

Apr 9, 2019 | Utah State University

The recent stand-off in Venezuela between the authoritarian Maduro regime and the opposition movement has sparked discussion about whether or not the opposition will manage to restore democracy...

The Red Lines of the Yellow Vests: How France’s Political Opportunity Structure Promotes Extra-Institutional Resistance by Benjamin Wuesthoff

Apr 9, 2019 | Boston University

For the past 21 weeks, France’s major cities have been gripped by an atmosphere of civil unrest as thousands of citizens take to the streets and voice their dissatisfaction with the politics and...

President Trump Champions Stricter Barriers of Entry along the United States Southern Border Due to an Overwhelming Influx of Asylum Seekers and Illegal Immigrants By Jarell Insang

Apr 8, 2019 | Boston University

In addition to his examination of a recently renovated portion of border fencing in Calexico, California, President Trump’s roundtable meeting with United States Customs and Border Patrol officials...

The Stealth Authoritarianism of Maduro’s Reelection by Roberto Cordova

Apr 8, 2019 | Boston University

When Venezuela's President, Nicolas Maduro, was sworn in for his second term, absences were felt. Absent were representatives from the United States, European Union, and Lima Group. These countries...

The Necessity of Accountability: Erdogan’s failure to accept local electoral losses could doom Turkish democracy by Nicholas Bornstein

Apr 8, 2019 | Boston University

Under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s democracy has slowly but surely been dismantled. The Turkish President constantly violates the personal liberties of the nation’s citizens –...

Political Polarization Within the Age of Social Media by Sophie Secor

Apr 8, 2019 | Boston University

The United States political field is filled with big names, and even bigger opinions. There are many up-and-coming passionate politicians on both ends of the spectrum. On the left, there are young...