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.

Economic development alone is insufficient to ensure democratic survival : Tunisia’s case (According to Lipset, Przeworski)

Tunisia shows that ‘economic development alone’ is insufficient to ensure democratic survival- as political institutions and leadership play a critical role. Tunisia was once considered a successful case of democratization after the Arab Spring as Tunisia is the only...

Military-Made Sinkholes: The Constitutional Court and the Collapse of Thai Democracy

13 and 9. These numbers are of coups d’état that happened in Thailand since adopting the constitutional monarchy in 1932: 13 were successful, and 9 were unsuccessful. Democracy and the political landscape have been turbulent in Thailand, and they still are. However,...

The Permanent Campaign: Why Populist Leaders Can Never Stop Fighting the System

Imagine winning the most powerful office in the world and still governing like you're the underdog. That's the paradox at the center of modern populism and it isn't accidental. With Donald Trump's inauguration for his second term in January 2025, the fight did not...

Democratic Backsliding in the 2025 Tanzanian Presidential Election

Feb 13, 2026 | Boston University

In the past year, Tanzania has been dealing with tensions surrounding their presidential election in October. There have been claims of election tampering, insurgency, and...

Italy Through the Lens of Democratic Erosion

Feb 13, 2026 | Boston University

Are We Still Living in a WEIRD World? In the last decade, the world has witnessed a growing instability of democratic institutions in countries considered to be consolidated...

The Crisis in South Sudan

Apr 16, 2024 | Ursinus College

South Sudan is currently a failing democracy. After South Sudan gained independence from Sudan on July 9th, 2011, they have been experiencing a shaky consolidation of democracy. I believe this is...

A Continent in Contrast: Mapping Political Polarization in Africa

Apr 15, 2024 | William Jewell College

Political polarization stereotypically holds a negative connotation, especially within an entire country. However, when we hold a conversation about an entire continent, does the preconception...

The Perception Gap in the United States and How it Causes Polarization

Apr 14, 2024 | Georgia State University

The United States has faced increasing polarization in its politics in the past few decades. Politics has become more emotionally charged, which is known as affective polarization according to Joel...

How the South China Sea Dispute Jeopardizes Philippine Democracy

Apr 14, 2024 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

China is flexing its military muscles like never before. As things stand, there seems to be no end in sight to tensions in the South China Sea. In early March, Chinese vessels collided with a...

American Xenophobic Populism: Stopping a Manufactured Disease

Apr 13, 2024 | William Jewell College

Most scholars who follow American democratic erosion begin with social polarization and attempt to find some sociological argument for it. Some thinkers, such as Kathy Cramer, argue that...

Donald Trump and Democratic Backsliding: The Threat of a Populist and More Polarized America

Apr 13, 2024 | William Jewell College

As the 2024 Presidential election comes close, many of us are asking the same fearful questions: if Donald Trump finds his way to power again, will this ultimately diminish democracy ...

Unraveling Mexico’s Democratic Backsliding: Navigating the AMLO Presidency and the Looming Shadow of His Populism

Apr 10, 2024 | Georgia State University

Andres Manuel López Obrador's presidency significantly shifted Mexico's political landscape. Elected in 2018 with a promise of transformative change under the MORENA party, AMLO's tenure has been...