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.

You Can’t Sit with Us: The Practice of Democratic Gatekeeping and How It Has Saved Democracies

At the 11th hour of the 2024 election many Republican politicians and members of congress took a stance against Republican candidate, Donald Trump. Through the “Republicans for Harris” tagline, they urged their supporters through various forms of appeals to vote...

The Erosion of an Already Weak Democracy: The Rise and Fall of Jovenel Moïse

Jovenel Moïse's presidency marked a dangerous shift from Haiti's already shaky democracy to overt authoritarianism. Delayed elections, unchecked abuse of executive power, and violent suppression of resistance became the norm. By the time of his assassination in 2021,...

Undermining the Feedback Loop: How Trump’s Educational Policies Hinder Democratic Accountability

In a larger trend of censoring opinions which the Trump administration views as undesirable, the Trump administration’s actions towards schools and universities has a negative impact on democracy as a whole. Such a system depends on the free transmission of...

Weaponizing Misinformation Laws: Turkey’s Crackdown on Opposition Media

Oct 14, 2022 | Ohio State University

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan The parliament of Turkey has passed a media anti-misinformation bill proposed by the country’s authoritarian president, Recep Tayyip...

Talks of a Potential Third Term Plagues Indonesia

Oct 14, 2022 | Ohio State University

As we continue to feel the effects of the Covid-19 virus, Indonesia faces a looming dilemma regarding their next important election coming in 2024. The country's current...

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....

Democratic Erosion University Course Student Blog

You Can’t Sit with Us: The Practice of Democratic Gatekeeping and How It Has Saved Democracies

The Erosion of an Already Weak Democracy: The Rise and Fall of Jovenel Moïse

Undermining the Feedback Loop: How Trump’s Educational Policies Hinder Democratic Accountability

Weaponizing Misinformation Laws: Turkey’s Crackdown on Opposition Media

Talks of a Potential Third Term Plagues Indonesia

Municipal Government in New Haven by Wabantu Hlophe @ Yale University

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

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

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

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

Criminal Justice Reform is Necessary for Equality by Oluwabomi Fagbemi @ University of Pennsylvania

Security an Obstacle to Democratization in Burkina Faso by Oluwabomi Fagbemi @ University of Pennsylvania

Poland’s Holocaust Law is the Latest Anti-Democratic Effort by PiS by Matthew Graff @ The University of Pennsylvania

Consensus in Committee and Community by Ginger Li @ Yale University

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