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 blogs reflect the views of the student authors, and not those of the Democratic Erosion Consortium.

History Repeats: Why Strong Global Defense is Key to Preventing Autocracy

A strong and consistent global defense by democratic nations is crucial to preventing the rise of autocratic regimes, as history shows—from the Cold War doctrines to the failed democratization of Afghanistan—that without committed follow-through and structural reform, authoritarian forces will exploit weaknesses and reclaim power.

Women in Political Dynasties: The Illusion of Choice and Democratic Erosion in the Philippines

Political dynasties have long controlled Philippine politics, with powerful families passing down leadership positions across generations. Despite the imposition of term limits discouraging dynastic rule, these families have found their way around the constitutional...

From Stardom to Senate: The Alarming Trend of Celebrity Politics in the Philippines

The intersection of celebrity and politics in the Philippines is nothing new. The phenomenon of celebrity politicians—actors, athletes, and other public figures who go from the big screen or stage to the corridors of power—has become a defining aspect of the country's...

How President Maduro is Changing Venezuela’s Once Thriving Democracy into an Autocracy: The Death of Democracy in Venezuela by Osny Calderon @ University of California, Los Angeles

Mar 15, 2018 | University of California, Los Angeles

Following the death of extremely popular president of Venezuela Hugo Chavez in 2013, his vice president and handpicked successor Nicolás Maduro was appointed and later narrowly elected President...

Democratic Erosion University Course Student Blog

History Repeats: Why Strong Global Defense is Key to Preventing Autocracy

Women in Political Dynasties: The Illusion of Choice and Democratic Erosion in the Philippines

From Stardom to Senate: The Alarming Trend of Celebrity Politics in the Philippines

The Polarization and Politicization of the US Supreme Court

Coups and Chaos: The Key Factors in Burkina Faso’s Government Gone Wrong

The Tyranny of the Liberal Democratic Party in Japan by Jeremy Figueroa @ University of California, Los Angeles

Democratic Erosion in Venezuela

Is Mexico Next to Succumb to Democratic Erosion? by Donyea Grayson @University of California Los Angeles

Democratic Ethio-rosion

Is The Rise of The Five Star Movement in Italy Eroding Democracy?

“Democratic Erosion in Venezuela” by Audrey Rogers @ The University of California, Los Angeles

“General Election in Kenya Creates a Shaky Democracy” by Esther Ekwueme @ University of California, Los Angeles.

The Spanish Dilemma by Jashan Kashyap @University of California, Los Angeles

How President Maduro is Changing Venezuela’s Once Thriving Democracy into an Autocracy: The Death of Democracy in Venezuela by Osny Calderon @ University of California, Los Angeles

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