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...

Is American Democracy Backsliding?

Apr 10, 2023 | Rollins College

Vucci, Evan. AP News. https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/656bfaa6bbb53b98a58c29bebb769f0d04500b1b/0_63_5074_3045/master/5074.jpg?width=645&quality=45&dpr=2&s=none ...

Conservative Demagogues Use a Scapegoat When Confronted About Gun Violence

Apr 9, 2023 | Rollins College

A loved one has just been murdered at school days prior in yet another mass shooting and, rather than doing something about it, your legislators make it even easier to...

Ratings don’t only Reflect Democracy, They Affect It by Micah Rosen @ Brown University

Oct 25, 2017 | Brown University

It’s hard to have an optimistic conversation about US politics. Recent surveys confirm widespread negativity among the American public. Results from Bright Line Watch (BLW) surveys demonstrate that...

What Gives: Why Hasn’t Populism Reached Japan? by Jonathan Silin @ Brown University

Oct 23, 2017 | Brown University

Populism is thriving across the developed world. Yet populists do not always succeed in places that seem ripe for populism. Despite sharing many of the same problems with the United States and the...

The Impossible Dream of Democracy by Ebenezer Akomolafe @ University of Memphis

Oct 21, 2017 | University of Memphis

On the 10th of October 2017, I attended a political event that was organized by the Young Americans for Freedom at the University of Memphis. The central theme of the speaker’s speech (Dinesh...

American Exceptionalism and Partisanship: An Evening With Dinesh D’Souza by Grant Beatty @ University of Memphis

Oct 17, 2017 | University of Memphis

The room was abuzz and nearly filled to capacity when I arrived to see Dinesh D’Souza speak. The notorious conservative author and filmmaker is an Ivy League-educated Indian American who has been a...

Indivisible or Already Divided? The Indivisible Memphis Rally against the Graham-Cassidy Healthcare Repeal Effort by Hunter Irons @ University of Memphis

Oct 14, 2017 | University of Memphis

It is no secret that many of us feel we are facing extreme division in this country. Some believe we (Americans) are truly homogenous and our politicians, media, celebrities, and others are behind...

Protests Against Graham-Cassidy Bill Meaningful or Meaningless? By DH @ the University of Memphis

Oct 14, 2017 | University of Memphis

In Memphis, the Kill the Bill protest against the Graham-Cassidy bill took place downtown on a quiet, sunny Monday afternoon on September 25, 2017, in between city hall and the federal building....

If We Do Not Support Opposition Groups’ Right to Freely Exercise Their Rights, Then We Are Supporting the Infringement of Our Own By Shemaiah J. Moss @ University of Memphis

Oct 13, 2017 | University of Memphis

psa screenshot On October 4, 2017, the Progressive Student Alliance held a meeting at the University of Memphis. I was surprised to see that few people were there, but this could be attributed to...

Run, Hide, Fight: The Misunderstandings behind the War on Terror by Jordan Aulfinger @ University of Memphis

Oct 13, 2017 | University of Memphis

Recently I attended a talk hosted by a candidate for local sheriff who, as both a candidate for that office and a veteran law enforcement officer, talked about security on a personal level and local...

US Voter Suppression, Stealth Authoritarianism, and its Consequences (Or Lack Thereof) By John Iacovino @ Boston University

Oct 13, 2017 | Boston University

Donald Trump is implementing actions that appear to undermine democracy, and he is doing it through legal means. Unfortunately, even if the legality of his means becomes more questionable, there...