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.

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...

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...

Can Civil Disobedience Save America’s Eroding Democracy?

Nov 22, 2022 | Suffolk University

“Forced motherhood is female enslavement” pleaded a pro-choice protester. Is slavery really what we are reverting to in 2022? In May of 2022, an initial draft of the Supreme Court ruling on Dobbs V....

Ala-kachuu

Nov 22, 2022 | Suffolk University

Ala-kachuu was once a beautiful, thoughtful practice. The so-called practice right now isn't the tradition in its proper form; it is a horrible crime masked under the title of "tradition." I...

Flexing My Civic Muscles: Contributing to Effective Voter Turnout Methods

Nov 22, 2022 | Suffolk University

Political canvassing is the backbone of all campaigns. Canvassing is imperative in the initiation of direct contact with individuals who may be inclined to support a political organization or...

Generation Z: A Stop Sign for Democratic Erosion?

Nov 22, 2022 | Suffolk University

“But there is something else at stake: democracy itself. [...] We must vote”[2]. In a speech given on November 2nd, President Joe Biden spoke regarding the Midterm elections. He mentioned the...

Haitian Deportation and the Breakdown of the Democracy in the Dominican Republic

Nov 22, 2022 | Boston University

The Dominican Republic has been an established democracy since the 1960s when it established itself as such in their constitution in 1966. During the 1960s and 70s the DR transformed their economy...

Democratic Backsliding in South Korea: Controlling the Media

Nov 22, 2022 | Boston University

What is Media Control? South Korea is a fairly new democratic country that was formed after the Korean war in the 1950s. Despite its extraordinary rise to become a democracy in contrast to its...

The Problem with Venezuela’s Elite

Nov 22, 2022 | Boston University

Since Hugo Chávez's ascension to power, Venezuelan elites have allowed for, and enabled the country's descent into authoritarianism. In September 2022, Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) sent two planes...

Church and State: The Catholic Church and Democratic Erosion in Poland

Nov 22, 2022 | Boston University

After Communist rule, Poland transitioned towards democracy. However, since 2015, the Law and Justice Party, or PiS, has maintained control over the state and begun to erode democratic institutions...

Giving a Voice Back to the Silenced

Nov 21, 2022 | Suffolk University

In Iran, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was killed on September 16, 2022, while being detained for "wearing her hijab incorrectly". This sparked a mass of protests throughout the country. This incident...