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.

Rebuilding a Rigged Democracy: Why Restraint Isn’t Enough

On April 12, 2026, Viktor Orbán lost. After sixteen years in power, his Fidesz party was crushed by Péter Magyar’s Tisza party in the highest-turnout election Hungary has held since 1990, and Orbán conceded on election night. For a man who proudly spoke of building an...

2026 Hungarian Elections Aftermath: An exchange of populist leaders or a redemption for democracy?

The 2026 Hungarian national elections on April 12 have taken the world by surprise. Long-standing populist and stealth-autocrat prime minister Viktor Orbán and his party, FIDESZ, lost the election after 16 years in power to the opposition party TISZA, led by Péter...

Democratic Erosion Within the United States Under the Trump Administration

An article by The Washington Post reports an increase in election-related lawsuits as the 2026 midterms approach. A reason behind this increase in lawsuits is partially due to President Donald Trump's aggressive push for changes to mail-in ballots. While this change...

De-Orbánization Looks a Lot Like Orbánization. Three Tests Will Tell Them Apart.

Oct 7, 2026 | Boston University

Péter Magyar's Tisza government says it is dismantling the system Viktor Orbán built over sixteen years. Several of its tools are the ones this course treats as warning...

The Trump Administration’s use DHS funds for advertisements: breaking, or bending the rules?

Oct 7, 2026 | Boston University

In recent news, the Trump administration has been accused of using Department of Homeland Security funds to pay for President Trump's midterm election advertisements....

Buying Injustice: The Hidden Harms of this Act.

Jun 22, 2026 | Suffolk University

Are we looking to create a thriving society, or are we allowing fear into the lives of immigrant families? As new immigration policies appear, the question become, how do we prevent the changes that...

The New Future of Warfare? How Social Media is Inflating Tensions Between the U.S. and Iran.

Jun 22, 2026 | Suffolk University, Universities

Social media is moving to the forefront of the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran, with political elites from both sides of the conflict using social media as a weapon to fabricate...

Modern Day Scarlet Letter: Women in Afghanistan Being Shamed for Mens’ Actions

Jun 21, 2026 | Suffolk University

Modern Day Scarlet Letter: Women in Afghanistan Being Shamed for Men's Actions A 16 year old girl named Gulnaz was raped by her cousin’s husband and subsequently thrown in jail due to her own...

South Africa’s Democracy Isn’t Collapsing, It’s Quietly Eroding

May 18, 2026 | George Mason University

Democracies rarely die overnight. They decay slowly, often in plain sight for all to see. South Africa today is a good example of how democratic erosion can occur even without dictators or dramatic...

Identity Survival Amongst Democratically Eroded Ethno-Religious Conflicts

May 12, 2026 | Suffolk University

When politics turns into a contest for identity survival, democratic institutions stop functioning as neutral arbitrators and instead become tools within group competition. Israel's recent...

Poland’s Democratic Decline Was Reversible

May 11, 2026 | James Madison University

In 2015, Poland experienced a significant decrease in democracy. The Law and Justice Party (PiS), under Jaroslaw Kaczyński’s leadership, secured victories in both the presidential and parliamentary...

Selective Support of the Courts: How Elite Driven Narratives in Brazil Undermine the Courts Perceived Legitimacy

May 11, 2026 | James Madison University

When Election Results Take Too Long: What Happened in Peru

May 11, 2026 | James Madison University

Elections are supposed to provide clarity. They tell citizens who won, who lost, and what comes next. But in Peru, the recent election did the opposite. Instead of clear results, the country faced...

Legislative Capture and the Erosion of Democracy in India

May 8, 2026 | James Madison University

After coming into power following the 2014 election, India’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has initiated an alarming backsliding of democratic institutions and practices. Having recently become the...