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 house is burning from the inside out: American democracy is dying

” There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide” - James Adams. If the average empire fails at 250 years and America is 248 years old, could we say that the death of democracy was something foreseeable and the uprise in authoritarian form of government...

Demagogues: Turning America into the Child Left Behind

The emergence of technofascist demagogues in American politics pose a significant threat to democracy and education, highlighting the urgent need for critical thinking and informed choices to protect the nation’s future.

Germany’s Defense of Democracy

Populism is rising in Germany, with the far-right political party, Alternative for Germany, gaining more and more popularity that echo dangerous anti-democratic trends from Germany, raising concerns about the future of Germany’s democracy.

First Amendment, First to Go: Trump’s Threats on a Free Press

Feb 13, 2025 | Boston University

President Trump has spent the first weeks of his administration enacting firm executive orders and appointing allies to key government positions. His swift actions have not...

How to Blur the Lines: Euphemism and Erosion

Feb 13, 2025 | Boston University

Euphemism as defined by Merriam Webster “the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant” is one of is not...

Gender inequality decline the Democracy in India

Oct 23, 2023 | School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

Democracy is not merely a form of government but also a way of life, an order of society, a way of social and economic relations, and above all, a belief system (Saikia & Baruah, 2012). Thus,...

Democracy Backsliding and Myanmar Migrants in Thailand

Oct 23, 2023 | School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

Myanmar experience long lasting civil war and many people escape to the neighboring countries to find safety life and seek to refuges. According to the International Labor Organization report in...

What the Exodus of Election Officials Means for Democratic Erosion

Oct 22, 2023 | University of Pennsylvania

Amid growing violent threats and increasing administrative burdens, a surge in resignations among local election officials signals trouble for U.S. democracy. In the aftermath of the 2020 election,...

Populism’s Erosion of Israeli Politics: A Müller Analysis of Benjamin Netanyahu’s Impact

Oct 18, 2023 | Boston University

In his book "What is Populism," Jan-Werner Müller presents a nuanced definition of populism that emphasizes its anti-pluralist, exclusionary nature and appeal to the chosen people against a corrupt...

The Threat of Extreme Partisanship in the Post-Trump Era: Warnings from the Ouster of Kevin McCarthy

Oct 18, 2023 | Boston University

On October 3rd, 2023, Kevin McCarthy was removed as Speaker of the House of Representatives in a 216-210 vote, becoming the first person in American history to ever be removed from the position. ...

India’s Free Speech Censorship is Ruining Democracy

Oct 17, 2023 | Boston University

India’s democratic backsliding has been a topic of concern for many decades. However, in recent years, the censorship of free speech in particular has led to detrimental social consequences,...

American Democracy and The Supreme Court

Oct 17, 2023 | Boston University

With recent discussion in the news surrounding the potential adoption of an “ethics code” or other code of conduct for the US Supreme Court, the question of its role in US democracy is once again a...

Guatemalan mass protests question if populism is all bad

Oct 17, 2023 | Boston University

On October 2nd, mass citizen protests erupted in Guatemala related to Attorney General Maria Consuelo Porras’s efforts to undermine the results of the country’s recent presidential election in favor...

The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Rise of Right-Wing Populism: Democratic Erosion in Spain, Italy, and Sweden

Oct 17, 2023 | Boston University

The COVID-19 pandemic has globally affected many things, one of which is the powers that hold congressional power in many countries. Many countries with democracies or core democratic elements, such...