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.

From Left to Right-Wing Populism: Can Argentina Survive Another Movement?

In November 2023, self-proclaimed anarcho-capitalist Javier Milei won the Argentinian presidency. His campaign ran on the promise of dismantling the existing political establishment that many Argentines had grown dissatisfied with. Yet, rather than departing from...

Timor Leste: The Paradox of Democratic Fragility

Although Timor-Leste is often seen as a success in democracy in Southeast Asia, it still has deep-rooted structural issues that cause worries about a decline in democratic practices. Although the country still conducts competitive elections and upholds civil...

The United States of Stealth Authoritarianism

Are we really doing this? “America will continue our leadership in defense of human dignity, in defense of rules and norms, and in defense of freedom and liberty. There is too much at stake to do anything less.” Vice President Kamala Harris spoke those words in 2023...

When Democracy Erodes, Human Security Fails in Sudan

Nov 10, 2025 | Universitas Islam Indonesia

Human Security and Democratic Erosion in Sudan (2018 - 2023) Introduction As a high school student, I joined thousands of Sudanese youth in the streets of Wad Madani in...

Donald Trump’s NSPM-7 Follows Domestic and International Trends In Stealth Authoritarian Power Grabs

Nov 3, 2025 | University of Georgia

In late September, President Donald Trump followed his ad-hoc federal mobilizations of National Guard servicemembers and nationwide deployment of ICE officers with a...

Timor-Leste’s Firm Stance on Myanmar Driven by Values

Oct 5, 2023 | School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

Photo 1: Source by Myanmar's military placed heavy restrictions on the internet ahead of the protests (BBC News) Timor-Leste's Support for Fairness and Human Rights in Myanmar's Crisis Timor-Leste,...

The Role of NGOs and CSOs in Democracy

Oct 4, 2023 | School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs) are exercising vital roles in promoting and encouraging democracy. They act as a third party between the people and the...

Federalism as A Tool for Conflict Resolution in Myanmar’s Democracy

Oct 4, 2023 | School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

Historical Background Myanmar is a country of diversity in terms of ethnicities, languages, and religions. There are an estimated 135 indigenous ethnic groups, or more officially organized by the...

“Positive Populism” in Electoral Campaign Overshadowed by Post-Election Reality in Slovenia

Sep 22, 2023 | Sciences Po Paris

In the 2022 parliamentary elections, Janez Janša, a right-wing populist leader of the SDS party was defeated by Robert Golob and his Freedom Movement, a new party on the scene. According to both...

Combatting Russian Disinformation: Estonia’s Response to the War in Ukraine

Aug 13, 2023 | Arizona State University

Co-authored by Sofia Walsh and David Thompson The war in Ukraine was a central theme in the March 2023 Estonian election. Like Ukraine, Estonia has a fraught history with its larger neighbor, both...

Russian Influence Efforts and the ‘Russophobia’ Narrative in the Baltic States; Evidence from Latvia and Georgia.

Jul 27, 2023 | Arizona State University

Co-Authored by Aiselyn Anaya-Hall and John Kaye Since long before the launch of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the world, and particularly the independent states of the...

Crackdown of the Civil Society in Belarus

Jul 24, 2023 | Arizona State University

By Carly Chabrier and Veera Tyhtilä On 23 July 2021, the Ministry of Justice of Belarus forced 43 non-governmental organizations to close and terminate all their activities. Among the...

May 4, 2023 | University of Utah

On a seemingly normal day, America witnessed a threat to democracy. As Joe Biden was gearing up to take office after a turbulent election period, a group of Trump supporters and white supremacists...

Bolivian Opposition Leader Fernando Camacho’s Arrest Exemplifies Bolivia’s Polarization

May 3, 2023 | University of Utah

On December 28, 2023, prominent Bolivian right-wing opposition leader Fernando Camacho was arrested in the city of Santa Cruz on terrorism charges. Camacho’s arrest exemplifies increasing...