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.

Tunisia Didn’t Reject Democracy

In December 2010, a fruit vendor in Tunisia set himself on fire. Weeks later, the dictator fled. The Arab Spring began. Fifteen years on, Tunisians are back on the streets. This time, they are confronting the president who dismantled the democracy that uprising...
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When Democracy Uses Its Own Institutions: How Venezuela Eroded from Within

When Democracy Uses Its Own Institutions: How Venezuela Eroded from Within Venezuela’s democratic erosion unfolded in stages: distrust of established parties opened the door to Hugo Chávez; later reforms strengthened the presidency; and under Nicolás Maduro,...
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Bolivia’s Double-Edged Transformation: How Resource Nationalism Strengthened – and Strained – Democracy

In 2016, Bolivians were asked a simple question: should President Evo Morales be allowed to run for another term? They answered no. Yet, one year later, Bolivia’s Constitutional Tribunal removed the country’s presidential term limits and allowed Morales to run again....
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