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.

Food Security is Rooted Abroad

Global fertilizer supply chains connect geopolitical events abroad to food production at home in ways most consumers don’t see.

The Meaning of Silence : What the moment of silence for Melissa Hortman says about American democracy

On June 14, 2025, the lives of Melissa Hortman who was a House speaker in Minnesota and her husband Mark were taken in what authorities believe to be a politically motivated act of violence. The same day Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also shot and...

Buying Injustice: The Hidden Harms of this Act.

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 involve separating families and dismantling the place that...

Hungary’s Opportunity

Apr 17, 2026 | Boston University

Under the leadership of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the Fidesz party, Hungary faced years of gradual erosion of its democracy. By rewriting the constitution, a...

All Eyes On You: Democratic Backsliding & Digital Surveillance by I.C.E in the U.S

Apr 17, 2026 | Boston University

BackgroundDemocratic backsliding is often portrayed as being the result of solely or primarily an executive using their executive power and influence to consolidate power...

Clear Democratic Erosion in South Korea: How the Presidency of Yoon Suk-yeol is Undermining Democracy

Nov 4, 2024 | Ohio State University

"송도동, Incheon, South Korea"/ CC0 1.0 Democratic erosion can be defined as the gradual weakening of democratic institutions in a particular country or region through the erosion of democratic norms...

A Saving Grace or Simply Smoke and Mirrors? How Rafael Correa’s 2008 Constitution Deceived the People of Ecuador

Nov 4, 2024 | Ohio State University

The people of Ecuador were facing chronic turnover in government leading to loss of morale, stability, and hope. That had experienced years of dissatisfaction in government. Ecuador needed a new...

Red Flag in Nepal: PM Oli Considers Law to Weaken Opposition

Nov 4, 2024 | Ohio State University

“Hitler, who dreamed of conquering the world, was alone when he died. Therefore, abandon the Hitler style.” These startling...

Erosion of Media Freedom is a Sign of Things to Come in Zambia

Nov 4, 2024 | Ohio State University

Over the past decades, Zambia has been met with democratic erosion that has spread around the globe. Many aspects of a once functioning democracy are being pulled back such as media freedoms,...

Democracy Hijacked: Sudan’s Descent from Prospective Democracy into Authoritarian Rule

Nov 4, 2024 | Ohio State University

Sudan was a country with a prosperous democratic future in 2019, yet today the nation remains worse off than it initially began. With significant military violence and a brutal civil war being waged...

El Salvador’s Security Crackdown: A Path to Authoritarianism?

Nov 4, 2024 | Ohio State University

In the last two years, El Salvador has witnessed an unprecedented state-led crackdown on gang violence under President Nayib Bukele. The policies, which include mass arrests, curfews, and suspension...

Senate Removals and Executive Power: How the Philippines Continues to Backslide on Democracy

Nov 4, 2024 | Ohio State University

Recent events in the Philippines demonstrate how democratic backsliding can be very slow and quiet, but still impactful. In particular, it shows how power and influence in the executive can...

Censorship and Deception: How Social Media Controls Fuel Misinformation in Turkey

Nov 4, 2024 | Ohio State University

In August of this year Turkey’s Information and Communication Technologies Authority blocked the social media platform Instagram as an effort to regulate access to the internet. With the rapid...

The Militarization of Government and Policing in Brazil: A Case Study of Democratic Backsliding Under Jair Bolsonaro

Nov 4, 2024 | Ohio State University

Democratic backsliding is a process often marked not by dramatic coups, but by subtle, legal maneuvers that gradually weaken democratic norms. This slow unraveling was evident in Brazil during the...