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.

Arresting Opposition and Squashing Protests: Democratic Backsliding in Turkey Under Erdoğan

Turkey has been inching towards autocracy under Erdoğan and the AKP for the last 22 years.

2025 Romanian Elections: An Election Redo and a Barred Candidate

Only two weeks out from Presidential Elections, Romanian voters face a tough decision in deciding on the next leader of their country. The latest opinion polls show that nearly 40% of voters are still undecided on who to vote for. After all, most voters already cast...

Why Protecting American Democracy Means Coming Together In Protest

In the lead up to the 2020 presidential election, the Democratic Erosion Consortium's very own professors Robert Blair and Steven Rosenzweig wrote an article in The Boston Globe urging readers to “Get ready to protest like democracy depends on it.” The article was in...

On the January 6th Hearings: The GOP Needs to Drain Its Own Swamp

Jun 10, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

Trump’s acquittal for his second impeachment sets a dangerous precedent for rising players in the GOP, who attempt to follow his lead. The main questions that arose from his...

The Rise of a Dictator and Fall of a People– The Rise of Corruption and Collapse of Civil Society in Serbia

Jun 10, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

Since the rise to power of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and their leader Aleksandar Vučić, democracy and any dream of Western values and lifestyle has eroded away...

DISRESPECTING THE UNION: HOW LAWMAKERS’ STATE OF THE UNION PROTESTS THREATEN TO UNDERMINE DEMOCRACY by LINDSEY POWELL @ UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

Feb 19, 2018 | University of Pennsylvania

On January 30, 2018, President Trump delivered his first State of the Union address to 46 million television viewers and a chamber filled with American dignitaries. Despite the chamber’s bustling...

Net Neutrality Is Not Neutral for Democracy by Ron Fornaro @ Ohio State University

Feb 19, 2018 | Ohio State University

Our Values, Change, and Net Neutrality Freedom and Speech and Freedom of the press are two of the most important tenants in our bill of rights and for American civic identity in general, and those...

The Executive Order Does Not Eliminate Institutional Checks by Thomas Baumgarten @ Ohio State University

Feb 18, 2018 | Ohio State University

Some may argue that Trump’s use of the executive order is responsible for the erosion of democracy by eliminating the system of checks and balances that are in place. I will argue that the necessary...

Is Trump the Cause or the Effect of the Apparent Democratic Downslide in America? by Jamie O’Neill @ Ohio State University

Feb 17, 2018 | Ohio State University

Presently, there is seemingly a decay of democracy under the Trump administration. The current administration has acted in ways, that under various circumstances, some of the American people have...

Democratic Erosion University Course Student Blog

Arresting Opposition and Squashing Protests: Democratic Backsliding in Turkey Under Erdoğan

2025 Romanian Elections: An Election Redo and a Barred Candidate

Why Protecting American Democracy Means Coming Together In Protest

On the January 6th Hearings: The GOP Needs to Drain Its Own Swamp

The Rise of a Dictator and Fall of a People– The Rise of Corruption and Collapse of Civil Society in Serbia

DISRESPECTING THE UNION: HOW LAWMAKERS’ STATE OF THE UNION PROTESTS THREATEN TO UNDERMINE DEMOCRACY by LINDSEY POWELL @ UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

Net Neutrality Is Not Neutral for Democracy by Ron Fornaro @ Ohio State University

The Executive Order Does Not Eliminate Institutional Checks by Thomas Baumgarten @ Ohio State University

Is Trump the Cause or the Effect of the Apparent Democratic Downslide in America? by Jamie O’Neill @ Ohio State University

Trump’s Brand of Populism is Spreading–and Why We Should Worry by Kasey Powers @ The Ohio State University

Bright Line Watch: Who Is Rating Our Democracy? by Max Mapes @ Skidmore College

Democracy is not unassailable by Yanebi Blanco @Skidmore College

You Can’t Measure Democratic Health by Underrepresenting People by Anne Pfeifenberger @ Skidmore College

De Jure Democracy But Not De Facto: Democratic Erosion in the United States by Hannah Hoey @ Skidmore College

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