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.

Tunisia: A Case Study of Democratic Backsliding and the Impetus call for Civil Democracy

Since the demand for democracy emerged during the Arab Spring across many middle eastern countries, the origin country Tunisia have been countlessly facing many challenges in their struggle against authoritarian resurgence. What factors have contributed to...

Examining Democratic Backsliding Through the Actions of ICE

The disruption and terror produced by ICE agents have spread rapidly across the United States, having devastating impacts on big cities and small towns alike. In Leominster, Massachusetts — a town with generations of families, many being of Hispanic origin — video...

How Trump is using Stealth Authority

Trump is using stealth authoritarianism in his past presidency, after losing his presidency to Biden, and in his current presidency.

Whole-Process People’s Democracy: How China’s Rebranding of Democracy Challenges Global Norms

Oct 19, 2025 | Arizona State University, Featured

When Xi Jinping declared that China had achieved “a whole-process people’s democracy,” many outside observers saw the phrase as contradictory. How could an authoritarian,...

Peru’s Hollow Democracy: How Congress Captured the State

Oct 19, 2025 | Arizona State University, Featured

When Peru's Congress voted unanimously on October 10, 2025, to remove President Dina Boluarte for "permanent moral incapacity," the decision was framed as a constitutional...

Reserve Building Area Law in the Autocratic Presidential System Türkiye

Dec 26, 2023 | Sabanci University

After the constitutional referendum in 2017 Turkey, the state started a new era of its democratic history. In 2017 Turkey held a referendum and according to that referendum the parliamentary system...

Suspicions of Speeches

Dec 8, 2023 | University of Memphis

Speeches are a political tool commonly used worldwide, but when they are used in a manner that distinctively promotes one's agenda and avoids accountability, it becomes weaponized communication. The...

Dangers to Freedom of the Press: October 3rd NewsClick Raid

Dec 7, 2023 | Boston University

By: Mika George PO 333 On October 3rd, New Delhi police raided the homes of journalists working for the news website, NewsClick, an outlet that had been critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and...

Fall of democratic dreams in Hong Kong

Dec 5, 2023 | Salem State University

The date is May 23rd, 2023, and the dreams of a democratic future for the citizens of Hong Kong is one step closer to ending. The Civic Party of Hong Kong disbanded due to harassment from Beijing’s...

Netanyahu’s Antidemocratic Reforms

Dec 5, 2023 | Northeastern University

Background Info: Israel in its modern state is a parliamentary democratic state that holds free and fair elections with various parties offering its citizens ease in interacting with their...

Recent Polish Elections signal a shift from populism potentially across Europe back to democracy.

Dec 3, 2023 | Salem State University

On October 15th, 2023, Poland held parliamentary elections. The rightwing populist Law and Justice Party (PiS) won 194 seats (35.38% of the vote), while the Civic Coalition (KO), led by former...

Unraveling Russia’s Influence on Brazil’s Democracy: The Nova Resistência

Nov 24, 2023 | Northeastern University

In the landscape of global information manipulation, the New Resistance emerges as a significant player in the erosion of democracy. The New Resistance is a pro-Kremlin, quasi-paramilitary,...

Do Competing Foreign Interests Dissuade Democratic Progress?

Nov 24, 2023 | Northeastern University

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the fall of Yugoslavia, many nations abandoned their communist alliances and ideologies, and flocked to Western alliances they believed would...

Scapegoating and Civil Liberties: How the Ugandan Anti-LGBTQ Bill is Dragging Down Democracy

Nov 22, 2023 | Northeastern University

“Something evil has been put into society. We would be attacked, we would not be safe, Uganda is not safe”, says Diane, a young Ugandan woman forced to flee the country due to the LGBTQ violence....