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.

Look at What They Took From You: MAGA Polarization Through Social Media

With the accessibility of social media, how does the current administration use it to create polarization?

From Secularism to Islamic Authority: Democratic Backsliding in Bangladesh

The journalists and citizens of Bangladesh look to the Jamaat to abide by the July National Charter of 2025, which seeks to prevent autocratic rule from institutionalizing once more.

From Left to Right-Wing Populism: Can Argentina Survive Another Movement?

In November 2023, self-proclaimed anarcho-capitalist Javier Milei won the Argentinian presidency. His campaign ran on the promise of dismantling the existing political establishment that many Argentinians had grown dissatisfied with. Yet, rather than departing from...

Drawing the Line in Law: How India’s CAA Turns Citizenship into a Religious Test

Dec 5, 2025 | University of Georgia

India's Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) exemplifies how the application of a supposedly technical citizenship law can subvert the democratic boundaries between "citizens"...

Backsliding or Normalization? What is Driving the Changes to Chilean Voting Laws

Dec 5, 2025 | University of Georgia

In September of 2025, just months before the presidential election, two contentious reforms were passed to change voting laws in Chile to curb the voting capacity and the...

The Overlooked Backsliding of Malagasy Democracy

Jan 4, 2024 | Sabanci University

Malagasy politics are often overlooked by the international civil society, despite its long history of tumultuous instability. Yet, the Madagascan political atmosphere offers valuable insights into...

Legitimating Authority Through Elections: Orbán’s Hungary

Jan 3, 2024 | Sabanci University

Hungary, a country which transitioned to democracy fairly peacefully after years of Soviet pressure and communist rule, now struggles with authoritarianism and its effects. Viktor Orbán and his...

From Populism to Restoration: Ecuador’s Political (R)evolution

Jan 2, 2024 | University of Pennsylvania

In recent years, Ecuador has witnessed a complex interplay between democracy and the rise of populism, a phenomenon that has captured the attention of political analysts and scholars alike. As a...

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...