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.

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

What do we hope to accomplish when comparing President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler, a tyrannical perpetrator of genocide?

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

The Russia-Ukraine War is a serious threat to global democracy through the growing wave of isolationism in the United States, an entity that has typically been at the forefront of fighting authoritarianism across the world.

The Trump Administration’s Attack on USAID

The Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle USAID, increase concerns about democratic backsliding as it could result in a trend with the executive undermining institutional legitimacy.

Misinformation, Fake News, and Social Media: How Countries Are Combatting Misinformation

Jun 1, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

“Fake News”, two simple words that were weaponized by former United States president Donald Trump whenever he was presented or questioned with news he did not agree with. In...

“Senegal Democracy Structure by Privatization”

Jun 1, 2022 | Koç University

Alara Mildon In the year between 1990-2001s, the country of Senegal was fighting with the economical issues which were detrimental for the society and the future prospects....

“Alternative” Fact is Not a Problem for Democracy by Will Conard @ Brown University

Nov 5, 2017 | Brown University

The rise of populist candidates in global politics has been accompanied by a resurgence of mistrust toward news media from both liberal and conservative parties. Arguments on the necessity of...

Student Activism Today Is Aimed More at Policy Than Democracy. By Aidan Calvelli @ Brown University

Nov 3, 2017 | Brown University

From the Vietnam War protests on campuses to the Sudanese divestment campaign (that Brown students like Scott Warren helped lead), students have long spoke out on political issues. Just last year,...

Senegal’s Democratic Façade: How Senegal is not the Example by Zach Witkin @ Brown University

Nov 3, 2017 | Brown University

Senegal has been widely regarded in the international community has having one of the most stable democracies in Africa. The 2012 election in which President Macky Sall defeated longtime incumbent...

How the Russian State Makes for a Deft Opposition by Artur Avkhadiev @ Brown University

Nov 3, 2017 | Brown University

Since Vladimir Putin’s reelection in 2012, the Russian state has undergone a transformation. Adapted under the pressure of the Post-Cold War era, Russia now has a full laundry list of democratic...

The Electoral College Safeguards American Democracy by Yifei Shen @Boston University

Nov 2, 2017 | Boston University

On November 8th, 2016, Donald Trump officially won the Presidency of the United States, beating his opponent, Hillary Clinton, by a count of 304-227 Electoral College votes. However, Trump lost to...

Liberal Intellectuals’ Moral Focus Draws Them to Anti-Trump Resistance by Talia Brenner @ Brown University

Oct 31, 2017 | Brown University

In a week, a year will have passed since Donald Trump’s election. In this time, we have seen a flourishing of political involvement among the intellectual left. Pink knit hats, blue ACLU ribbons,...

Polarization Fuels Erdogan’s Consolidation of Power in Turkey by Cody Duane-McGlashan @ Brown University

Oct 30, 2017 | Brown University

In the past fifteen years, Turkey has gone from economic ruin to burgeoning democracy held up as a model for the world to a state in the midst of severe democratic and liberal backsliding. All these...

How Experts and the Public See Democracy Differently. By Aidan Calvelli @ Brown University

Oct 29, 2017 | Brown University

In February 2017, a group of political scientists founded Bright Line Watch, a group focused on surveying experts and the public to assess their perceptions of the state of American democracy. The...

“Wartime Iraq and Gender Ideologies” by Allante’ Boykin @ University of Memphis

Oct 29, 2017 | University of Memphis

In war time Iraq, conflict spills from the battlefield into civilian life. As a consequence, the dynamics of the family is corrupted, and homes are left unattended. Woman-headed households are...