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 Erosion of an Already Weak Democracy: The Rise and Fall of Jovenel Moïse

Jovenel Moïse's presidency marked a dangerous shift from Haiti's already shaky democracy to overt authoritarianism. Delayed elections, unchecked abuse of executive power, and violent suppression of resistance became the norm. By the time of his assassination in 2021,...

Undermining the Feedback Loop: How Trump’s Educational Policies Hinder Democratic Accountability

In a larger trend of censoring opinions which the Trump administration views as undesirable, the Trump administration’s actions towards schools and universities has a negative impact on democracy as a whole. Such a system depends on the free transmission of...

Democracy Six Feet Under: How Disinformation is Burying Philippine Democracy Alive

Philippine democracy is in great danger once again now that the two families who benefited the most from disinformation – the Marcoses and Dutertes, are in power and have turned against one another. As both camps sling disinformation against each other, the...

You Are Never Supposed to Matter: How Philippine Democracy Excludes You by Design

May 5, 2025 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

Every six years, politicians hand you a ballot and call it “power.” They flood your feeds with campaign jingles, slap posters on every wall, and tell you, “The future is in...

The Myth of a Strong Leader—When Fear Drives Philippines’ Democracy Down

May 5, 2025 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

“I would stop drugs, crime, and criminality in three to six months” -Rodrigo Duterte in his 2016 Presidential Campaign The Philippines has long grappled with maintaining...

Trump’s Evolved Form of Populism Works… and Hurts.

Apr 20, 2025 | University of Memphis

Trump has been called a populist since his initial campaign in 2016, with his ideas being mostly the same over the years: dismantle the Department of Education, impose tariffs on Mexico and China,...

The Judicial Branch’s Downfall

Apr 20, 2025 | University of Memphis

The Judicial branch has power and control over translating and applying our laws in the court system. The purpose of having three separate branches is to preserve an equal and fair democracy in the...

Israel’s Judicial Reforms: A Potential Danger to Democracy?

Apr 20, 2025 | University of Memphis

Israel's Judicial Reforms: A Potential Danger to Democracy? In 2023, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's administration put forward extensive judicial reforms aimed at significantly...

Arresting Opposition and Squashing Protests: Democratic Backsliding in Turkey Under Erdoğan

Apr 19, 2025 | Boston University

On March 19, Ekrem Imamoğlu, mayor of Istanbul, was arrested on charges of corruption and terrorism. His arrest took place days before he was expected to be selected by the Republican People’s Party...

2025 Romanian Elections: An Election Redo and a Barred Candidate

Apr 18, 2025 | Boston University

Only two weeks out from Presidential Elections, Romanian voters face a tough decision in deciding on the next leader of their country. The latest opinion polls show that nearly 40% of voters are...

Analyzing Polarization and Democratic Politics: The SAVE Act

Apr 18, 2025 | Boston University

Last week, the House passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act with a large amount of Republican support and four democratic votes. The bill requires all voters to provide proof of U.S....

Turkey: The End of “Competitive Authoritarianism”?

Apr 18, 2025 | Boston University

On March 19, 2025, the top opposition candidate, Ekrem Imamoglu, was arrested four days prior to confirmation as the opposition party’s candidate for president. Turkey’s presidential elections are...

Why Protecting American Democracy Means Coming Together In Protest

Apr 18, 2025 | Boston University

In the lead up to the 2020 presidential election, the Democratic Erosion Consortium's very own professors Robert Blair and Steven Rosenzweig wrote an article in The Boston Globe urging...

Prabowo Dismantling Democracy, One Law at a Time

Apr 18, 2025 | Boston University

On March 20, 2025, Indonesia’s Parliament approved revisions to their Indonesian National Military (TNI) Law No. 34/2004, raising concerns for civilians across the country. President Prabowo...