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.

President Trump Attacks News Agencies Through Legal Means

President Trump has been attacking our democracy through legal means by suing news agencies and journalist.

Epstein’s Files Are More Than Files, They Are A Signal Of Democratic Erosion

In a June 2024 Fox News interview then presidential candidate Donald Trump claimed that when in office he would support the releasing of the full Epstein files. These files pertain to convicted sex trafficker Jefferey Epstein. Epstein was a financier who pleaded...

LEARNING RESOURCES, INC., ET AL. v. TRUMP(2026)

Learning resources Inc. dispute over tariffs on their toys and their impact on the ruling of presidential power on the use of emergency economic powers protecting democratic erosion

From January 6th to the Epstein Files: How Partisanship and Institutional Weakness Threaten American Democracy

Mar 9, 2026 | University of Houston

On January 6, 2021, the United States Capitol was stormed by supporters of President Donald Trump who were in uproar over the...

Trumpian Reform and Its Implications for American Democracy

Mar 9, 2026 | University of Houston

Should a president always be held accountable for crimes committed in office if he claims they were necessary to doing his job? In Trump v. United States, the Supreme Court...

Nationalizing Elections – Trump Seeks More Control Over Electoral Process

Feb 13, 2026 | Boston University

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has long decried the integrity of elections, now seeking to bring control of elections under the federal government, or at least comply with his...

Trump’s Call to Nationalize Elections: An Insult to Democracies Everywhere

Feb 13, 2026 | Boston University

In what has been a polarizing series of comments, president Donald Trump has recently gone on record expressing his strong desire to “nationalize” elections in the US. Trump has cited a list of...

Germany’s Firewall: A Successful Lesson on Elite Gatekeeping

Feb 13, 2026 | Boston University, Featured

The recent rise of radical right-wing party Alternative for Germany (AfD) has raised serious concerns about democratic backsliding in Germany. Founded in 2013, the party has seen a surge in...

ICE and the Narrowing of Pluralism

Feb 13, 2026 | Boston University

The expansion of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under Donald Trump’s second term reflects anti-pluralism moving from rhetoric into institutional form. The Senate’s immigration bill...

A Seemingly Controversial 15 Minutes

Feb 13, 2026 | Boston University

Every February, a football team earns the right to call itself “world champions” by winning the Super Bowl. However, one of the most exciting aspects of the night, aside from the 60-minute gameplay...

Tunisia Under Saied: The Unraveling of the Arab Spring’s Lone Success Story

Feb 12, 2026 | Boston University, Featured

On January 31, 2026, Tunisian President Kais Saied extended the country’s state of emergency once more, now marking ten consecutive years of its being in effect. While he initially framed this as a...

The Democratic Breakdown of Benin: Extremist Groups, Counterterrorism, and Executive Stealth Authoritarianism

Feb 12, 2026 | Boston University, Uncategorized

Sub-Saharan Africa is largely autocratic, with only about 10% of the region considered to be democratic. Benin, one of the only five democracies, is now sliding down a path of authoritarianism. On...

How President Trump is initiating Democratic backsliding to assert his dominance

Feb 12, 2026 | Boston University

Recently, the United States, under the guidance and control of President Trump’s administration, is at risk of a threat to democracy as he exercises abusive executive power and politicizes...

The Trump Administration’s Aggressive Rejection of Dissent Threatens Democracy

Feb 12, 2026 | Boston University

As the Trump administration enters its second year, Trump continues to push his strategy of executive aggrandizement, reducing institutions independence and eliminating competition. The...