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...

Brazilians Will Have To Choose The Lesser of Two Evils

Jun 9, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

Jonne Roriz/Bloomberg via Getty Images This year is an election year for the fourth biggest democracy...

Myanmar in Shambles with the Revival of the Death Penalty

Jun 9, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

The Myanmar military government recently rejected appeals against the death sentencing of two prominent democracy activists in an effort to repress the anti-coup resistance....

Second Time Around: Kenya Tries for a Genuinely Democratic Election by Margo Blank @ Boston University

Oct 13, 2017 | Boston University

On August 8, 2017 Kenya held a Presidential election. Following concerns that the results were neither accurate nor untouched by oversight officials themselves, the Supreme Court of Kenya made waves...

Promoting Self-Efficacy or Fear? A Terrorism-Prevention Workshop in Memphis by Molly Winders @ University of Memphis

Oct 13, 2017 | University of Memphis

To educate the population on terrorism, officials sometimes hold public meetings and presentations in which they reveal certain information that can save lives. On September 27, 2017, one such...

Catalonia Independence Movement: A Nightmare of Spanish Politics by Yuanhao Yang @ Boston University

Oct 13, 2017 | Boston University

The Spanish Central Government did not have a relaxing break last weekend, mainly caused by the “political earthquake” which took place in Catalonia – one of the most important self-governing...

A New Hereditary Order in The White House by Sam Beermann @ Boston University

Oct 13, 2017 | Boston University

It has long been custom in the United States, and most other western democracies for that matter, for politicians especially presidents to not engage in two things, the practice of nepotism, and the...

Why Privatization of Public Education Will Crumble Our Democracy by Rachel Burke @ Boston University

Oct 12, 2017 | Boston University

When Donald Trump was elected, America did not just get Donald Trump. His cabinet boasts faces already known in their respective arenas, like Attorney General Jeff Sessions or Secretary of Defense...

Gun Control and Populism by Mae Tonge @ Boston University

Oct 12, 2017 | Boston University

There are more mass shootings that occur in the United States than in any other country in the world. The most recent one to occur was the Las Vegas shooting on October 1st, carried out by Stephen...

Trump, DeVos, and Title IX Through the Lens of Stealth Authoritarianism by Lauren Hilliard @ Boston University

Oct 12, 2017 | Boston University

#KnowYourIX and #StopBesty hashtags were trending on Twitter in Los Angeles, Boston, and Chicago on September 7th. That day, Betsy DeVos, Education Secretary for the Trump administration, announced...

Position of the Tennessee Secretary of State on Voting Rights Restrictions by Cayna Sharp @ University of Memphis

Oct 12, 2017 | University of Memphis

Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett visited the University of Memphis campus to speak to students about civic involvement and the importance of voting. During this visit, he spoke to his...

Lack of Accountability in Appointed Commissions by Victoria Potts @ The University of Memphis

Oct 12, 2017 | University of Memphis

On October 3rd, the Memphis City Council moved to postpone their vote on the removal of the statues of Nathan Bedford Forrest and Jefferson Davis from downtown Memphis until October 17th, after the...