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 house is burning from the inside out: American democracy is dying

” There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide” - James Adams. If the average empire fails at 250 years and America is 248 years old, could we say that the death of democracy was something foreseeable and the uprise in authoritarian form of government...

Demagogues: Turning America into the Child Left Behind

The emergence of technofascist demagogues in American politics pose a significant threat to democracy and education, highlighting the urgent need for critical thinking and informed choices to protect the nation’s future.

Germany’s Defense of Democracy

Populism is rising in Germany, with the far-right political party, Alternative for Germany, gaining more and more popularity that echo dangerous anti-democratic trends from Germany, raising concerns about the future of Germany’s democracy.

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.”...

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...

Precursors to Democratic Erosion in Mali

Nov 26, 2022 | Boston University

Beginning with French occupation in the late 19th century, Mali has had a long history of violence as well as a...

The Far-Right Goes Mainstream: France’s National Rally in Parliament

Nov 25, 2022 | Boston University

The National Rally (RN), France’s far-right party, gained a record high of 89 seats in the lower house of Parliament in France’s June 2022 elections. The party’s gains demonstrate the success of...

Media Freedom in Poland Is Deteriorating

Nov 25, 2022 | Boston University

In May this year, Reporters Without Borders, also known as RSF released its annual Press Freedom Index. This report evaluates various indicators to give countries a score relative to the state’s...

Unprecedented Democratic Backsliding in Hungary: Is it Too Late to Turn Around?

Nov 25, 2022 | Boston University

When Russia launched its barbaric invasion on Ukraine, many expected a silver lining to emerge in which the Russian aggressor would become a catalyst for European states to reevaluate their...

Democracy’s Last Stand in the Middle East: Kais Saied’s Tunisia

Nov 25, 2022 | Boston University

The 2010 revolution in Tunisia did more than just birth the Arab Spring, it birthed democracy for the first time in the country’s history. Previously under Ottoman and French rule, Tunisia became a...

Populism and Its Consequences: Democratic Backsliding and Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Nov 24, 2022 | Boston University

In 1947 India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru spoke of freedom and democracy, marking the transition away from English colonialism. Three years later India's constitution was created. India...

Singapore’s Contradiction of Modernization Theory

Nov 24, 2022 | Boston University

In 1959, Lipset posited that the modernization of a country is conducive to democratization. Lipset understood modernization to include development in industrialization, urbanization, wealth and...

Seeing Politics in a Different Light

Nov 22, 2022 | Suffolk University

This past Spring, I worked as a District Intern for my Congressman. Most of the job was easy desk work, fielding calls and directing constituents to my higher ups, organizing mail, writing up...

Selective Forgetting: Uncovering History Doesn’t Imply Cancellation

Nov 22, 2022 | Suffolk University

Everyone is taught about Christopher Columbus in elementary school, “In fourteen hundred and ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.” Teachers taught students that he was the first to discover...