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...

Attempted Coup in South Korea! Thwarted?

Feb 14, 2025 | Brown University

Abstract: South Korea faced an attempted coup in December by President Yoon Suk Yeol with the enactment of martial law. Fortunately the South Korean National Assembly and...

Javier Milei’s “War on Diversity” and Role In Argentina’s Democratic Erosion

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

Argentinian president Javier Milei's recent so called "War on Diversity" has sparked mass protest, with the result being thousands taking to the streets. This comes as a...

Hanging By A Thread: Democracy in Peru

Apr 27, 2023 | University of Utah

On December 7th, the Peruvian Congress removed sitting President Pedro Castillo from office after he announced plans to shut down congress. This presidential announcement came hours before Castillo...

Felon Disenfranchisement and Subversion of the Black Electorate

Apr 27, 2023 | University of Utah

Beginning after Reconstruction—when Black men were granted the right to vote—the implementation of voter disenfranchisement laws crept across the United States in the form of poll taxes, literacy...

Libel Suits are an Effective Legal Tool to Combat Disinformation

Apr 26, 2023 | University of Utah

The spread of disinformation related to the Big Lie conspiracy perpetuated by Trump, and his allies, including Right-wing media networks, helped spur the 'Stop the Steal Movement' and the rioters...

COVID-19: A Pandemic of Misinformation

Apr 25, 2023 | University of Utah

The COVID-19 pandemic was not only a pandemic of a virus, but also a pandemic of misinformation and disinformation. During the year 2020, it was not uncommon to log onto social media sites or sit...

A Defamation Lawsuit Against Fox News and What That Means Moving Forward

Apr 24, 2023 | University of Utah

Dominion Voting Systems has created a court filing in a lawsuit against Fox News under a defamation claim regarding the 2020 presidential election. The lawsuit, which was filed in March 2021,...

Independent State Legislature Theory and its Effects on Democracy in the United States

Apr 21, 2023 | University of Utah

After the 2020 census, North Carolina gained a 14th seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. This meant the Republican-led state legislature was able to redraw the House Congressional districts,...

How the NRA Contributes to America’s Democratic Erosion

Apr 19, 2023 | University of Utah

In a recent poll, 1 in 5 Americans has experienced gun violence in the past 5 years. The same poll revealed that 75% of Americans are in favor of raising the legal age of gun ownership to 21 years...

The US Populace and Bureaucracy: A Surprisingly Positive View

Apr 11, 2023 | Rollins College

Bureaucracy, what many consider the fourth branch of the United States government, is not typically viewed as popular among Americans. Indeed, in her book, The Politics of Resentment, Katherine...

The Future of Labor: Immigration or Automation?

Apr 11, 2023 | Rollins College

An article titled "People Over Robots (The Global Economy Needs Immigration Before Automation)," [1] written by Lant Pritchett and published in the March/April 2023 issue of Foreign Affairs...