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.

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...

Strong Parental Guidance?: How Film Censorship in the Philippines Affects Democracy

While cinema is often dismissed as mere entertainment, censoring it poses significant threats to information accessibility and, by extension, to democracy.

The Danger of Electing Election Deniers

Sep 28, 2022 | Ohio State University

Across the country, sixty percent of Americans will have an election denier on their ballot. At least 16 states will have a candidate running for secretary of state (or...

The Consequences of the Demise of the “Chevron Deference”

Sep 28, 2022 | Ohio State University

Murky water runs through your backyard, clouding the water that comes out of your faucet and into the vegetables you wash, the water you use to brush your teeth. However,...

Gun Control Victory in Providence, RI by Will Conard @ Brown University

Nov 17, 2017 | Brown University

On Monday October 30th at 1:45PM the Governor of Rhode Island, Gina Raimondo, signed the Protect Rhode Island Families Act into Law. The act itself aims to prevent domestic abusers from obtaining...

Back to the Drawing Board by Roxana Sanchez @ Brown University

Nov 17, 2017 | Brown University

On September 9th 2017 I attended the DACA rally held in front of the Rhode Island Statehouse, in support of the DREAMERS. Two days earlier, on September 5th, the Trump Administration had made the...

Democrats Won Important Races in Virginia and New Jersey by Yifei Shen @Boston University

Nov 17, 2017 | Boston University

As we are heading towards the midterm elections in 2018, many Democratic candidates won several significant races against their Republican counterparts recently in Virginia and New Jersey....

To Build or Not to Build? A Look at the RI CRMC LNG Hearing by Jonathan Silin @ Brown University

Nov 17, 2017 | Brown University

This Tuesday, on a cold November evening, approximately fifty Rhode Island residents packed into the Administration Building cafeteria at One Capitol Hill in Providence. Some held signs emblazoned...

Citywide Conversation with the Providence Mayor by Artur Avkhadiev @ Brown University

Nov 17, 2017 | Brown University

On October 11, I joined a "Citywide conversation" with the Providence mayor Jorge O. Elorza. As part of the effort to remain in touch with Providence residents, the city council has organized these...

March for Racial Justice, Rhode Island: Solidarity, Not Resistance by Cody Duane-McGlashan @ Brown University

Nov 17, 2017 | Brown University

As four of us from the class walked into India Point Park armed with a stack of surveys, clipboards, and pens on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, I was struck by how laid back the whole event looked....

Conflicted Allyship Won’t Hurt Movement by Talia Brenner @ Brown University

Nov 16, 2017 | Brown University

The national March for Racial Justice (M4RJ), organized this summer, was planned for September 30. This is a significant date in Black American history, as it commemorates the 1919 Elaine Massacre,...

Prolonged State of Emergency Status May Lead to Democratic Backsliding in Mali by Molly Winders @ University of Memphis

Nov 15, 2017 | University of Memphis

Terrorism. This nine-letter word has become common in news stories and political discussions in recent years. For many, the word alone surfaces mental images of the Twin Towers, the Paris attacks,...

The Sisyphean Constraints of a Polarization-Era Protest. By Amalia Perez @ Brown University.

Nov 15, 2017 | Brown University

The steps of Rhode Island's state house rung electric on Sept 7, 2016, as hundreds gathered in protest against restrictive immigration policy and in support of DACA-mented individuals. The feverish...