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 are student blog posts written by student participants in the Democratic Erosion Course. These posts were not written by nor represent the views of the Democratic Erosion Consortium.

Food Security is Rooted Abroad

Global fertilizer supply chains connect geopolitical events abroad to food production at home in ways most consumers don’t see.

The Meaning of Silence : What the moment of silence for Melissa Hortman says about American democracy

On June 14, 2025, the lives of Melissa Hortman who was a House speaker in Minnesota and her husband Mark were taken in what authorities believe to be a politically motivated act of violence. The same day Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also shot and...

Buying Injustice: The Hidden Harms of this Act.

Are we looking to create a thriving society, or are we allowing fear into the lives of immigrant families? As new immigration policies appear, the question become, how do we prevent the changes that involve separating families and dismantling the place that...

Courts and Populism in Poland: Guardians of Democracy or Reinforcing the Status Quo?

Oct 5, 2023 | School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

In recent years, populism has surged onto the global political stage, becoming a formidable political force (Guttieri, 2019). It draws its strength from its appeal to the...

Shadows Over Paradise: Mauritius’ Democracy at a Crossroads Since 2019

Oct 5, 2023 | School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

Mauritius, known for its political stability and vibrant democracy, has long been regarded as a shining example of democratic governance in the African region. Mauritius...

Kenya’s Presidential Election: A Troubling Sign for Democracy by Frances Strnad @ University of California, Los Angeles

Mar 14, 2018 | University of California, Los Angeles

This past fall, Kenyans voted for a new president. The election, which was supposed to be one of the most democratic elections the country has seen, was tarnished by fake news and a voting scandal....

Is Democracy In Canada Really Eroding? by Damian Glover @ University of California Los Angeles

Mar 14, 2018 | University of California, Los Angeles

Is Democracy in the "Most Friendly Nation in the World" Eroding? The simple answer to the question is no. In America there is a constant fight between political parties as well as the people who...

Erdogan’s Empire: A Case Study of democratic backsliding in Turkey by Jacob Awrabi @ University of California, Los Angeles

Mar 14, 2018 | University of California, Los Angeles

When examining democratic erosion, a prime example of a brief case study is that of Turkey. Through an array of authoritarian tactics, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has increasingly...

A Nail in Ataturk’s Coffin by Shravan Balaji @ University of Pennsylvania

Mar 14, 2018 | University of Pennsylvania

On April 16, 2017, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) celebrated the passage of their landmark Constitutional referendum by a margin of 51.4% to 48.6%. 85% of...

Democratic Erosion From Brexit by Kenneth Rollins @ University of California, Los Angeles

Mar 14, 2018 | University of California, Los Angeles

The United Kingdom shocked the world in the summer of 2016 when they decided to leave the European Union, commonly known as Brexit. This event could be a sign of democratic erosion. Recent studies...

Erosion of Democracy from Catalonia: Is this the beginning of the end for a democratic solution to the Catalan Crisis? by Cole Kinder @ University of California, Los Angeles

Mar 13, 2018 | University of California, Los Angeles

We like to think of Western European nations and the European Union as entities that uphold the fundamental rights of humanity and democracy. We grow up thinking that in Western Europe, the people...

Democratic Erosion University Course Student Blog

Food Security is Rooted Abroad

The Meaning of Silence : What the moment of silence for Melissa Hortman says about American democracy

Buying Injustice: The Hidden Harms of this Act.

Courts and Populism in Poland: Guardians of Democracy or Reinforcing the Status Quo?

Shadows Over Paradise: Mauritius’ Democracy at a Crossroads Since 2019

Kenya’s Presidential Election: A Troubling Sign for Democracy by Frances Strnad @ University of California, Los Angeles

Is Democracy In Canada Really Eroding? by Damian Glover @ University of California Los Angeles

Erdogan’s Empire: A Case Study of democratic backsliding in Turkey by Jacob Awrabi @ University of California, Los Angeles

A Nail in Ataturk’s Coffin by Shravan Balaji @ University of Pennsylvania

Democratic Erosion From Brexit by Kenneth Rollins @ University of California, Los Angeles

Erosion of Democracy from Catalonia: Is this the beginning of the end for a democratic solution to the Catalan Crisis? by Cole Kinder @ University of California, Los Angeles

Poland Democratic Erosion by Trevor Wolff @ University of California, Los Angeles

Is Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro a Dictator? by Michael Townsend at University of California, Los Angeles

The Democratic Tipping Point in Slovakia by Emma Shahabi @ UCLA

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