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...

Federalism as A Tool for Conflict Resolution in Myanmar’s Democracy

Oct 4, 2023 | School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

Historical Background Myanmar is a country of diversity in terms of ethnicities, languages, and religions. There are an estimated 135 indigenous ethnic groups, or more...

“Positive Populism” in Electoral Campaign Overshadowed by Post-Election Reality in Slovenia

Sep 22, 2023 | Sciences Po Paris

In the 2022 parliamentary elections, Janez Janša, a right-wing populist leader of the SDS party was defeated by Robert Golob and his Freedom Movement, a new party on the...

Reproductive Rights, Civil Disobedience, and the Role of Civic Engagement in Protecting Democratic Institutions by Cierra Carafice @ The Ohio State University

Mar 9, 2018 | Ohio State University

Clad in pink “I Stand with Planned Parenthood” t-shirts and the attitude of women who plan to get things done, the Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio began their action forum to fight for women’s...

Hearing History: an Evening with Jim Obergefell by Gabrielle Minotti @ Ohio State University

Mar 9, 2018 | Ohio State University

Of all the political events that have happened in my lifetime, and there have been some pretty significant ones in the past two decades, the one that I will go down in history as one of the biggest...

Buckeyes and Bearcats Day at the Statehouse by Sunder Sai @ The Ohio State University

Mar 9, 2018 | Ohio State University

I rolled up to the Ohio Statehouse wearing a suit and tie. Entering through the giant glass doors, I met other students in the same professional attire. After being corralled into a large event...

Are We Losing Federal Checks in the Midst of Polarization? By Melissa Ma @ Ohio State University

Mar 9, 2018 | Ohio State University

I, along with hundreds of thousands of elementary school kids, habitually stood in front of the American flag and recited the “Pledge of Allegiance.” Moving into middle school, we were taught that...

How the Recent Election in Italy is a Threat to Democracy by Brittany Rose Demogenes @ University of California, Los Angeles

Mar 9, 2018 | University of California, Los Angeles

Concerns about democratic backsliding are especially pertinent when considering the recent Parliamentary election in Italy. Democratic backsliding is defined as a “decline in the quality of...

A State of the State not just for the State by Evelyn Kennedy @ The Ohio State University

Mar 9, 2018 | Ohio State University

On Tuesday, March 6th, I had the unique opportunity and privilege of attending the 2018 Ohio State of the State Address given by Governor John R. Kasich. This State of the State was Kasich’s...

“The Loyal Opposition in the United States” by Ethan Gruber @ The Ohio State University

Mar 9, 2018 | Ohio State University

He takes the stage with a youthful exuberance. By the age of 36, he has already served in the United States military, as a state representative of Missouri, as the Secretary of State of Missouri,...

The Power of Grassroots Activism: how civilian movements contribute to both the vitality and demise of American democracy by Drew Flanagan @ Ohio State University

Mar 9, 2018 | Ohio State University

Grassroots movements are a dime a dozen these days. Energized by the dynamic capabilities of social media, civilian activism is proliferating throughout the modern world. It has never been easier to...

The Working People’s Day of Action by Jamie O’Neill at Ohio State University

Mar 9, 2018 | Ohio State University

I attended the 2018 Working People’s Day of Action. It is a national event that takes place in about 15 cities in the U.S. and is a day committed to the goal of “standing up for the freedom of...