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...

Democracy in Name, Fear in Reality: Mexico

Apr 20, 2026 | George Mason University, Universities

What if a country is called a democracy, but many people are too afraid to vote? Mexico is seen as a democratic country. It has elections, political parties and a...

Thailand’s Hybrid Regime: Democracy Shaped by Military and Monarchy by Ashleigh Sodee

Apr 20, 2026 | George Mason University

Thailand’s political system is also shaped by the continued influence of the monarchy, particularly under King Maha Vajiralongkorn, which makes it distinct from many of its...

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 opposition party were able...

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 response to his...

India’s Democratic Crisis

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

Being named the world’s largest democracy with over 1.4 billion people in population size, its democratic nature is seemingly dying a slow death. The gradual decline of India’s democracy through...

The Illusion of Democracy: The Clash Between Capitalist Interests and the Promise of Equality in American Politics

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

Cyrus Sadr Professor Steven Rosenzweig Democratic Erosion 2/8/25 The Illusion of Democracy: The Clash Between Capitalist Interests and the Promise of Equality in American Politics When examined...

Egypt’s Path Towards Authoritarianism

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

There has been growing international interest in the case of Alaa Abd El Fattah, an Egyptian political prisoner whose sentence was arbitrarily extended by two years in September of 2024. As an...

Democratic Backsliding in the Philippines

https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/online-exclusive/the-son-also-rises/

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

Rodrigo Duterte's presidency from 2016 to 2022 launched the Philippines into political turmoil and democratic backsliding, taking similar actions to the authoritarian ruler Ferdinand Marcos....

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: How Does This Affect Democracy?

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

Now more than ever we can see that our “democracy,” initiatives and plans are under siege and fire. Currently, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives are under attack and are affecting...

Power to the People: Art and the Absence of Democracy

https://www.mfa.org/exhibition/power-of-the-people-art-and-democracy

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

From October 26, 2024-February 17th 2025 the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts premiered the exhibit Power to the people: Art and Democracy in hopes of showing the Promise, the Practice,...

Notes On A Post-DOGE America

Feb 14, 2025 | Boston University

The last few weeks of American governance have come as a massive surprise to vast swathes of the American public. Among the various events that have rocked the American Political Circus: the...