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.

Still Waiting in Line: How Emotional Disconnection and Democratic Erosion Shaped the 2024 Election.

The most dangerous threat to democracy is a story that convinces people they no longer need it. By weaponizing grievances, channeling emotional disconnection, and positioning himself as the only one who truly acknowledges the country’s betrayal of the working class,...

Trash-talking democracy to remain in power: Costa Rica’s changing political landscape

The election of populist President Rodrigo Chaves in 2022 has called into question Costa Rica’s reputation for democratic stability and peaceful tradition. As reflected in recent events, the group in power, led by Chaves, seems interested in delegitimizing and...

Trump’s War on Education Is Undermining Democracy

“Public education is the very foundation of good citizenship.” This statement, famously declared by the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education, still resonates today. If it’s true, then what does it mean when that foundation is under attack? When students can’t...

How Identity Politics Polarize Social Media Even Further

Jun 10, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

The more social media increases, the more identity politics and echo chambers will grow as well, increasing political polarization within the U.S. With the rise of...

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...

Birth Control: The Latest Example of Trump’s Misuse of Democracy. by Laura Stavisky @ Boston University

Oct 10, 2017 | Boston University

Throughout the Trump presidency he has exploited democratic institutions to further his own political agenda at the expense of American democracy. Just last Friday, under the veil of the First...

The Turkish Referendum: What This Drastic Political Change Means for Democracy by Emily Masse at Boston University

Oct 10, 2017 | Boston University

How could a democratic institution, such as a referendum, potentially signal the downfall of democracy? Turkey may provide the answer. After a long history of military coups, Turkey adopted its...

No, Robert Reich, the Future Doesn’t Have to Be Populist. By Aidan Calvelli @ Brown University

Oct 9, 2017 | Brown University

The rise and election of Donald Trump left many Democrats reeling, searching for a way to understand the current political moment. To Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor in the Clinton...

Better Lines, Better Democracy. By Aidan Calvelli @ Brown University

Oct 9, 2017 | Brown University

It’s no bold claim to say that the United States is a democracy. Our Constitution, one of the earliest iterations of representative government and the model for hundreds more worldwide, formalized...

Does Spain’s Response to Catalonia Serve as Evidence of Democratic Breakdown?

Oct 8, 2017 | Boston University

On October 1, Spain responded to what they deemed an illegal referendum by employing police forces to stop individuals in the region of Catalonia from voting for or against independence from Spain....

The Rise of Stealth Authoritarianism in Cambodia By Michaela Kollin At Boston University

Oct 8, 2017 | Boston University

Stealth Authoritarianism in Cambodia Overt authoritarianism has become extremely costly, prompting trade sanctions and other international punishments, according to scholars such as Varol. In order...

When Corruption is not Enough: Legitimacy and the Case of South Africa. by Micah Rosen @ Brown University

Oct 4, 2017 | Brown University

In 1994, South Africa broke a wicked spell of white control, saying its last goodbye to a horrifically undemocratic apartheid political system. But champions of democracy must be careful to turn the...

Facts Matter: Fighting Populism in a Post-Truth World. by Matthew Jarrell @ Brown University

Oct 3, 2017 | Brown University

The goal of any scientific inquiry is ostensibly to find or at least approximate some sort of truth. When we examine a phenomenon in the world, we strive to make statements or posit theories about...

Standing, Kneeling, and Absence: Is Democracy Backsliding? by: Zach Witkin @ Brown University

Oct 2, 2017 | Brown University

Following the election of Donald Trump, many of those who oppose him were, and still are, concerned about the future of democracy. The populist minded leader uses, and keeps using, his platform as a...