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 blogs reflect the views of the student authors, and not those of the Democratic Erosion Consortium.

Indefinite Term Limits: How Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele is Further Entrenching His Power

Salvadoran president Nayib Bukele aims to entrench his executive power through the introduction of indefinite term limits.

A 50-Year Sentence for Facebook Posts: The Implications of Section 112

A record 50-year sentence for Facebook posts in Thailand exposes how Section 112 transforms political expression into criminal offense and accelerates the country’s democratic collapse by shielding royal authority from scrutiny.

When the Army Said No: How Military Defection Toppled Bangladesh’s Autocrat

On the night of August 4, 2024, Bangladesh’s army chief held an emergency video conference with his generals. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had ordered troops to enforce a curfew and suppress the massive protests engulfing Dhaka. The generals made their decision: they...

Shameless Politics: How Scandal Lost Its Power in America

Dec 1, 2025 | Northeastern University

In September of 2024, FBI agents acting as businessmen met with the acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Tom Homan under the guise of helping to secure...

Recent Anti-Fico Protests Might Indicate a Positive Future for Slovakia’s Democracy

Dec 1, 2025 | University of Georgia

On November 17th, 2025, Slovakian citizens in Bratislava protested and slammed their leaders, specifically Prime Minister, Robert Fico, with chants such as: “We have enough...

The Fragility of Federal Agencies: Why the National Institutes of Health Is at Risk

Oct 31, 2025 | University of Georgia

“Make America Healthy Again,” a take on the 2020 and 2024 campaign slogan of President Donald Trump, has recently released a strategy titled “Make Our Children Healthy Again.” The initial MAHA...

Replacing Ballots with Bullets: How Shadow Operations are Crippling Democracy in Africa

Oct 31, 2025 | University of Georgia

Private military companies (PMCs) have long blurred the line between state power and profit, but few have done so as effectively—or destructively—as the Wagner Group. Central to Russia’s recent...

President Trump’s Deployment of the National Guard: Frequently Asked Questions

Oct 31, 2025 | University of Georgia

In June 2025, President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles. In August, he sent National Guard troops to Washington, DC. The process has since repeated itself...

Environmental Fragility & Political Instability: Climate Change as a Driver of Democratic Backsliding

Oct 30, 2025 | University of Georgia

Jane Goodall died on Wednesday, October 1st. Her work was incredibly powerful and reached many, authoring 32 books, earning a laundry list of internationally recognized awards, and becoming one of...

How Trump’s 20-Point Plan risks deepening Democratic Erosion in Israel and Palestine

Oct 29, 2025 | University of Georgia

When politicians promise “peace”, they usually mean silence, not democracy. On nearly the anniversary of Hamas’s deadly terrorist attack on Israel from October 7, 2023, comes a recent hostage deal...

Lawful Erosion: Is it Legal or No? Maybe…

Oct 20, 2025 | Arizona State University

Recent reports by The New York Times share a growing consensus within the judiciary of an impending crisis, with a lack of clarity creating foreseeable conflict and confusion. The article noted a...

Pulling the Alarm: From Washington to Rome, Experts Warn of Rapid Democratic Decline

Oct 19, 2025 | Arizona State University

The United States has long upheld an international reputation as the sword and shield of democracy, championing liberal ideals and warning other nations against the rise of authoritarianism. To such...

Who are supplying Guns for Haiti’s Escalating Violence?

Oct 19, 2025 | Arizona State University

Although steps have been taken to restore democracy in Haiti with the appointment of a governing Transitional Presidential Council, violence continues to escalate in the nation’s capital,...

Serbia, Serbian Orthodox Church and Twin Tolerations

Oct 19, 2025 | Arizona State University

The relationship between religion and democracy is a complex one, which makes the interaction between religious communities and the state particularly nuanced. At times, churches act as pillars of...