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...

Democracy Fails, Market Follows

Apr 17, 2026 | Boston University

Democratic backsliding is often seen as a political problem, a phenomenon that manifests itself in elections, courts, or constitutions. But what if its effects reach well...

Democratic Erosion in Turkey: Elections, Institutions, and Media Under Erdoğan

Apr 17, 2026 | Boston University

Turkey, once hailed as a model of democracy for its neighbors, has experienced a steady democratic decline over more than two decades of rule by President Erdoğan and the...

Nayib Bukele is the Rodrigo Duterte of Latin America. He just won a second term.

Jun 25, 2024 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

by Julian Matthew Formadero and Lance Carlo Mendoza In May 2016, with 16 million votes, the Philippines elected Rodrigo Duterte as its 16th president. The foul-mouthed former mayor of Davao, who was...

The Spring Before the Fall: Civil Society and Resistance in Myanmar

Jun 24, 2024 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

Myanmar has been experiencing a turbulent phase in its political and social strata brought about by the Burmese Spring Revolution, a “wave of resistance” after the country’s military coup in 2021....

Sword of Justice or Shield for Criminality? Navigating Anti-Corruption in India’s Democracy

Jun 24, 2024 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

Political power, a vital yet oftentimes insidious force, corrupts even the most representative of political parties. However, democratic institutions are our greatest arsenal against this...

Thailand after “Thaksinocracy”: Treading through tenacious turmoil of Thai politics post-Thaksin

Jun 21, 2024 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

Divide and conquer – it is the ultimate strategy to bring downfall to a rather mighty opponent. Empires past have fallen to the same tactic; facing their ruin fragmented, alienated, and apart from...

UniTeam Division: Marcos-Duterte Fallout and Its Democratic Ramifications

Jun 20, 2024 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

"Uniteam has formally been dissolved and she has just become the leader of the opposition… Harry Roque, former spokesperson for Rodrigo Duterte, on Sara’s resignation from Marcos Cabinet. Rifts in...

Navigating The Polarization of Female Political Representation in the Philippines

Jun 18, 2024 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

Unequal gender representation has always been apparent in Philippine politics. Being predominantly Catholic, the Philippine electorate has historically sided with conservative...

Election Denialism: A Comparison of American and Brazilian Tendencies in Public Trust Scandals, Misinformation, and Political Violence

Jun 5, 2024 | Arizona State University

American and Brazilian politics are intimately interconnected, and as a result have comparably similar social trends with misinformation, public trust, and violent tendencies. Following the 2020...

UniTeam Alliance Break-Up: Political Rifts between Marcos and Duterte

Jun 2, 2024 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

In the Philippines, the late 2010s and early 2020s is a pivotal stage, to say the least, in terms of political mobility, activism, and administrative competencies. The Rodrigo Duterte administration...

Supporters of Philippine Opposition Leader Leni Robredo Greatly Contributed to Polarization. Here’s How

May 27, 2024 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

Leni Robredo is a Filipino lawyer who became vice president in 2016. She became known as an opposition leader, unafraid to raise criticisms of the Duterte administration. In 2021, Robredo declared...