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.

The Erosion of an Already Weak Democracy: The Rise and Fall of Jovenel Moïse

Jovenel Moïse's presidency marked a dangerous shift from Haiti's already shaky democracy to overt authoritarianism. Delayed elections, unchecked abuse of executive power, and violent suppression of resistance became the norm. By the time of his assassination in 2021,...

Undermining the Feedback Loop: How Trump’s Educational Policies Hinder Democratic Accountability

In a larger trend of censoring opinions which the Trump administration views as undesirable, the Trump administration’s actions towards schools and universities has a negative impact on democracy as a whole. Such a system depends on the free transmission of...

Democracy Six Feet Under: How Disinformation is Burying Philippine Democracy Alive

Philippine democracy is in great danger once again now that the two families who benefited the most from disinformation – the Marcoses and Dutertes, are in power and have turned against one another. As both camps sling disinformation against each other, the...

Democratic Backsliding in the Philippines and Rodrigo Duterte’s War on the Media

Jul 24, 2022 | Dartmouth College

Democracy cannot exist without the freedom of the press. A free and independent media serves as a "watchdog" that can report government wrongdoing and hold individuals and...

Texas Republicans’ Party Platform May Be More Harmful Than You Think

Jul 24, 2022 | Dartmouth College

Texas has long been considered the pinnacle of conservatism in the United States. This reputation isn’t undeserved, but it does lead to a dangerous notion that Texas will...

Failure to Fix Electoral Shortcomings Risk Democratic Erosion by Lukas McMahon @BostonUniversity

Nov 15, 2017 | Boston University

Competitive elections are the bedrock of democracy, but America’s elections are being kept as uncompetitive as possible by party elites. Joseph Schumpeter defined democracy by its “means of a...

Jerry Brown… Trump’s Biggest Opponent by Lauren Hilliard @ Boston University

Nov 15, 2017 | Boston University

Jerry Brown… Trump’s Biggest Opponent Compromise sometimes seems next to impossible in today’s political climate. Increased teamsmanship makes gridlock seem inevitable. So, how can a political actor...

The Great “Firewall” of China By Yuanhao Yang @ Boston University

Nov 15, 2017 | Boston University

President Donald Trump has officially visited China and met the Chinese president Xi Jinping for the first time, and this caused wide discussion both in United States and China. One question that...

Do Trump’s Judicial Nominees Pose a Threat to Democracy? By Jarred Barlow @Boston University

Nov 15, 2017 | Boston University

President Donald J. Trump once again lies in the pit of controversy—this time, for a handful of “not qualified” judicial nominations. If Trump continues to nominate questionable candidates over the...

How to Govern an Ideologically Fractured Party by Alexander Henshaw-Greene @ Boston University

Nov 15, 2017 | Boston University

In Economic Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy, Acemoglu and Robinson defines society as two groups; a rich elite dedicated to protecting property rights and favorable to non-democratic policy...

Is Climate Change (and Trump’s Attitude) Threatening to Democracy? by Julia Banas @ Boston University

Nov 15, 2017 | Boston University

Climate change and democracy are not often thought of as topics that go together, but the two intertwine more than one would expect. The United States is currently the only country that is not in...

Fake News and Its Strain on Democracy by Sam Beermann @ Boston University

Nov 15, 2017 | Boston University

“Fake News” has been a hot topic ever since the Presidential election in 2016. One main question people have is what exactly constitutes “fake news”? The Cambridge Dictionary defines the term fake...

The Future of the American Presidency by Rohan Joshi @ Boston University

Nov 15, 2017 | Boston University

One of the cornerstones of American democracy is the executive branch, led by a democratically elected president who represents the views of the majority of the American electorate. This president...

123s, ACABs: The Problem with the American Police State by Victoria Saeed @ Boston University

Nov 14, 2017 | Boston University

Since its first appearance in 2013, following the acquittal of George Zimmerman for the murder of Trayvon Martin, #BlackLivesMatter has become a highly-controversial statement for a nation reluctant...