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.

Trump vs. Media: The Never Ending Crusade

In advanced liberal democracies such as the United States, democratic erosion does not come in one fell swoop. Often, norms, checks and balances, and foundational features of democracy are gradually chipped away at as to lessen resistance, comparable to a frog being...

Donald Trump’s Trade Wars and Their Implications on US Vertical Accountability

Just recently Donald Trump visited Dayton, Ohio, a region which is defined by the prevalence of their manufacturing sector, and which has seen negative impacts from ever increasing US reliance on manufactured imports. As a result of the blowbacks from increased...

From Reformer to Authoritarian

How is Zambia’s Current President Showing Signs of Democratic Backsliding In Zambia, Election Day occurs on the 2nd Thursday of August every 5 years to elect the President and Vice President. To be elected president in Zambia, a candidate must receive more than 50% of...

Democracy Endures: Malawi’s 1993 Transition into Democracy and Maintaining the Legacy

Oct 19, 2026 | George Mason University

Up until 1993, Malawi had been under dictatorship for twenty-nine years. However, in an unprecedented referendum, 63.5 percent of voters favored a multiparty system, which...

Political Power That Stays in the Family: Democratic Erosion in the Philippines

Oct 19, 2026 | George Mason University

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. casts his ballot during the 2025 Philippine midterm elections. Photo: Presidential Communications Office / Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain)....

Fighting Fire with Fire: Why Poland’s Democratic Repair Is Stalling

Oct 9, 2026 | Boston University

When Donald Tusk became prime minister, after his coalition defeated the Law and Justice (PiS) party in 2023, the coalition promised the citizens to restore the rule of law. Today, that promise is...

Louisiana v. Callais: The Silencing of African-American Representation and Political Opposition in the Trump Administration

Oct 9, 2026 | Boston University

On April 29th, 2026 the United States Supreme Court gave the decision for the case, Louisiana v. Callais, which ruled that Louisiana’s congressional map, which included two majority African...

U.S. Democracy Aid in Regards to Gatekeeping

Oct 9, 2026 | Boston University

This week, the State Department distributed roughly $177 million in Democracy Funds through 43 awards hours before a deadline and despite congressional concerns and requests not to. The money is...

Trump’s Long War on the American Electoral System: What Happens After Midterms?

Oct 9, 2026 | Boston University

Since his loss in the 2020 presidential election, President Trump has been diligently working to undermine the American electoral system. The events that occurred on January 6th are the most...

South Korea’s Democratic Institutions Held, But Will America’s?

Oct 9, 2026 | Boston University

South Korea’s political polarization led to democratic erosion, but its institutions were able to push back. Whether the United States could do the same is far less clear. On Sept. 11, former South...

Rebuilding a Rigged Democracy: Why Restraint Isn’t Enough

Oct 8, 2026 | Boston University

On April 12, 2026, Viktor Orbán lost. After sixteen years in power, his Fidesz party was crushed by Péter Magyar’s Tisza party in the highest-turnout election Hungary has held since 1990, and Orbán...

2026 Hungarian Elections Aftermath: An exchange of populist leaders or a redemption for democracy?

Oct 8, 2026 | Boston University

The 2026 Hungarian national elections on April 12 have taken the world by surprise. Long-standing populist and stealth-autocrat prime minister Viktor Orbán and his party, FIDESZ, lost the election...

Democratic Erosion Within the United States Under the Trump Administration

Oct 8, 2026 | Boston University

An article by The Washington Post reports an increase in election-related lawsuits as the 2026 midterms approach. A reason behind this increase in lawsuits is partially due to President Donald...

When Formal Institutions Are Not Enough

Oct 8, 2026 | Boston University

In 2026, the Supreme Court allowed President Trump to fire the Federal Trade Commissioner (FTC), overturning a major restraint on presidential power. By a vote of 6-3, the justices struck down a...