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...

Mutual Reinforcement of Norm Breaking and Polarization in Peru

Apr 17, 2026 | Boston University

Despite a concerted effort to create “democratic, clean, transparent and orderly” elections in Peru, with 8 presidents serving in office since 2018 and 35 candidates running...

When Scapegoating Becomes Strategy: Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric

Apr 17, 2026 | Boston University

"I feel like my country is being stolen by people who have come here illegally," a Tea Party member told researcher Arlie Hochschild. "People come in and have the benefits...

Populism and Gender: What’s the correlation?

Oct 10, 2024 | Brown University

It is no secret that populists — charismatic, strong-willed, and skilled at agitating a base — are increasingly consolidating political power. Today’s headlines are riddled with mentions of such...

“These Guys Are Weird”: How Overtly Anti-Democratic Ideology Made It From Online Forums to the Presidential Ticket

Oct 10, 2024 | Brown University

When now Democratic Vice Presidential Candidate Tim Walz spoke these titular words in reference to JD Vance, his opposition on the Republican ticket, the feeling resonated with many observers....

Loper Bright: How SCOTUS Undermined Democracy While America Looked The Other Way

Oct 10, 2024 | Brown University

For nearly a decade, much of the American public’s attention has been devoted to whether or not Donald Trump hopes to destroy American democracy. Opponents speak his name alongside a volley of...

Sheinbaum’s Folly: How a Weak State Undermines Mexico’s Democracy

Oct 10, 2024 | Brown University

Draped in the green, white and red of the Presidential Sash, Claudia Sheinbaum, 62, delivered her inaugural speech as Mexico’s 66th President. “We are a free, democratic, sovereign, and...

Impairing Amparo: How Recent Constitutional Changes Undermine Mexican Democracy

Oct 9, 2024 | Brown University

Journalists and democracy advocates sounded the alarm last month as former Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador spent his final weeks in office pushing forward changes to the country’s...

Abortion Rights Are Fundamental to Democracy. Why Do Democracies Ban It?

Oct 9, 2024 | Brown University

In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, concluding that the U.S. Constitution does not provide federal protections for a woman’s right to choose. But in 2023, Mexico’s Supreme Court...

The Threat of JD Vance’s Populism to the Future of America

Oct 9, 2024 | Brown University

JD Vance has been called many things by many people since he was announced as Donald Trump’s Vice Presidential running mate three months ago. He is conservative and Republican, yes, as well as a...

Protecting Children: Populist Logic and the American Right

Oct 9, 2024 | Brown University

Across the United States, socially conservative policies that coalesce around the notion of protecting children have been increasingly proposed and established. From banning books to banning...

How Populism Threatens Georgia’s Alignment With the West

Oct 9, 2024 | Brown University

The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine sent shockwaves across the West. Long-time geopolitical neutrals Finland and Sweden joined NATO, and many Western countries levied sanctions to cripple the power...