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.

Could the 2017 burning of Congress in Paraguay have led to the end years of Colorado Party dominance?

In 2017, protests erupted in Paraguay after President Horacio Cartes attempted to amend the constitution to allow for his re-election. Cartes’ influence over the Colorado Party— which has dominated Paraguayan politics for decades—has faced significant opposition due to corruption, bribery, and drug trafficking scandals, leading to public disillusionment with his party. The Colorado Party held onto power in 2023, but the lasting effects of Cartes’ actions may have provided enough fuel to the political fire to spark change in Paraguay.

The Unpaved Road Of Guatemala’s Democracy

The road to democracy for Guatemala was rocky and has remained just as unpaved since. Guatemala has a unique political history, with civil wars, hope for peace, and relentless relapses. Through this blog post, we will review the historical foundations of Guatemala's...

Georgia’s Stolen Election: A Setback for Democracy and European Integration

On October 26th, Georgia held elections that would determine the fate of democracy in their country. Unfortunately, democracy lost. The winning party ran its campaign partly on the platform of banning opposition groups. The election, and with that, Georgian citizens’...

Censorship and Deception: How Social Media Controls Fuel Misinformation in Turkey

Ohio State University

In August of this year Turkey’s Information and Communication Technologies Authority blocked the social media platform Instagram as an effort to regulate access to the...

The Militarization of Government and Policing in Brazil: A Case Study of Democratic Backsliding Under Jair Bolsonaro

Ohio State University

Democratic backsliding is a process often marked not by dramatic coups, but by subtle, legal maneuvers that gradually weaken democratic norms. This slow unraveling was...

How Populism Threatens Georgia’s Alignment With the West

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...

Democracy is Eroding in El Salvador, but Who is Concerned?

Brown University

The self-proclaimed “world’s coolest dictator”, Nayib Bukele, won presidential re-election in El Salvador in February of this year, extending his presidency to another five-year term. His landslide...

“Handmaid’s Tale is not a tutorial!”: Reproductive Rights as a Mechanism for Reversing Democratic Backsliding in Poland and the United States

Brown University

Before October of 2023, Freedom House described Poland as having “the swiftest democratic decline in the [European] region.” The far-right, nationalist Law and Justice party (PiS) had been in power...

How Nationalism Saves Democracy

Brown University

It is in the comforting sound of your mother tongue, the aroma of a home-cooked traditional meal, shared celebrations, and the beauty of our architecture that we find an immediate sense of...

La Ultraderecha: Is Spain’s Vox an Example of Right-Wing Populism?

Brown University

On December 17, 2013, Santiago Abascal established the Spanish political organization Vox, which the New York Times describes as “nationalism at its finest” (Source). The organization is notorious...

Why Does Trump’s Brand of Populism Appeal to the American Christian Right?

Brown University

In both popular culture and empirical analysis, many Trump supporters identify as evangelical Christian, with 81% of self-identified white evangelical Christians choosing to vote for Trump in the...

Unions and Their Importance in the 2024 U.S. Election

Ohio State University

It was inspiring to see a group of people come together to learn more about unions and the important role they play in the United States. Ohio State College Democrats hosted a panel of union leaders...

How Did We Get Here? A Look at How Immigration Has Accelerated Populism in the Netherlands

University of Denver

How did we get here? This is a question that many across Europe might be asking themselves when looking at the current health of their democracy. The Netherlands is no exception to this. Just a year...

How the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election Contributed to Democratic Erosion

Ohio State University

The 2020 U.S. presidential election was an important and influential election in the United States, and one that showed clear signs of democratic erosion in this country. While elections in the...

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