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.

Italy’s Nationalism: A History of Italian Populism

The rise of populism is not a new topic. Across the world, populist leaders are being elected as right-wing parties are taking control in some of the most powerful countries in the world: United States of America, Germany, France, Netherlands, Argentina, among others....

Disabling the Judiciary: How Tension Between Israel’s Judiciary and Governing Coalition Threatens Democracy

As of today, dozens of federal judicial positions in Israel, including 4 Supreme Court positions, remain vacant. This comes as a result of Justice Minister Yariv Levin’s continued refusal to convene the Judicial Selection Committee, heavily impairing the functionality...

Collapsing Democratic Norms in Peru

The collapsing of Democratic Norms in Peru such as mutual toleration and institutional forbearance are red flags for the Peruvian government as it moves away from true democracy.

What a shrunken Congress means for democracy in America

Mar 24, 2026 | Suffolk University

Congress plays an essential role in our government. They are the only federal officials directly elected by the American people, yet in recent years, under Republican and...

Where are our Leaders of ’16? The Need for a New Sovereign Republic

Mar 23, 2026 | Salem State University

In February 2026, the United Kingdom government bypassed the Northern Ireland Assembly, making it clear that the democratic institutions promised by the 1998 Good...

From Democratic Revolutionaries to Genocidaire Apologists: How the UAE Corrupted Sudanese Civil Society Leaders

Mar 17, 2025 | The University of Alabama

It is an open secret that Emirati planes are touching down at remote Chadian military bases with boxes of “humanitarian aid” - aid that is instead guns, ammo, and drones, destined for the...

Donald Trump the Nazi Reincarnate?: Godwin’s Law and How This Phenomenon is Counterproductive to Understanding Democratic Erosion

Mar 7, 2025 | The University of Alabama

“The assumption was that voters would be turned off by seeing Trump for what he is — authoritarian, pitiless, hateful — and would recognize him as a kind of Hitler.” “Russian Foreign Minister Sergei...

The Russia-Ukraine War Bodes Poorly for Democracy, But Not in the Way You Think

Mar 3, 2025 | The University of Alabama

The growing unpopularity for America providing foreign aid to Ukraine during its conflict with Russia signals a troubling shift towards isolationism. The United States, the world’s most involved...

The Trump Administration’s Attack on USAID

Feb 17, 2025 | Boston University

When President Trump campaigned for a second term in office, he promised to cut what he referred to as government waste, fraud and abuse. He tasked Elon Musk, shortly after his election, with...

Does Nayib Bukele Present a Compelling Challenge to Democratic Values?

Feb 15, 2025 | Boston University

Underlining political discussion here in the United States is a presumption that democracy is the best system by which we can organise civil society. I should preface that I, too, subscribe to this...

DOJ Terminations

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

Recently, The White House Terminated multiple U.S. attorneys within the Justice Department, which in itself can be seen as executive aggrandizement considering The White House is typically not...

Separation of Powers: The Judicial Branch’s Fight Against Trump

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

During his first three weeks in office, President Trump has signed over 60 executive orders covering controversial issues from DEI to immigration. Many of these executive orders have been met with...

Democratic Erosion in Political Satire: Exploring Americans’ Attitudes on Trump

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

For those concerned with U.S. democracy, it should suffice to say that this year has been off to a tumultuous start. With Donald Trump’s return to the White House, exhibiting his all too familiar...

DOGE: How Elon is Dismantling Democracy

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

Over the course of Trump’s initial presidency and subsequent re-election, the United States has faced several threats to the resilience and stability of its democratic institutions. From the January...