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...

Challenging Erdoğan’s Autocracy: Resistance to Democratic Erosion in Türkiye

May 5, 2026 | James Madison University

Tens of thousands of people crowded the streets of Istanbul for another night of protests in late March of 2025, waving red Turkish flags and wearing masks to protect...

Elimination of Accountability in Nicaragua under the Ortega regime

May 5, 2026 | James Madison University

Nicaragua under Daniel Ortega has seen its presidential republic downgraded from a competitive democracy to an authoritarian regime, where the government has been more...

Is Mexico’s Democracy Slipping?

Apr 20, 2026 | George Mason University, Universities

Is Mexico’s Democracy Slipping? Yehyun Kim Why choose this case for study: Mexico is a fascinating and critical case for this study democratic backsliding....

India’s Democratic Decline: Political Elites and Institutional Weakening

Apr 20, 2026 | George Mason University

These days, democratic consolidation has become increasingly difficult, and democracy itself is gradually declining around the world. In particular, it is no longer a rare situation for a country...

Inclusion vs. Liberalism: The Two Faces of Bolivian Democracy

Apr 20, 2026 | George Mason University, Universities

Introduction Did Bolivia's democracy advance or retreat? Answering this question requires not just looking at the election results but also understanding the two conflicting trends of institutional...

Peru’s Democracy Wasn’t Taken. It Was Given Away.

Apr 20, 2026 | George Mason University

The night he went after Congress, the courts, and the constitution all at once, most people backed him for it. That detail tends to stop people. It should. April 1992, Lima. A sitting president...

Would democracy survive from Stealth Authoritarianism?

Apr 20, 2026 | George Mason University

It’s a wolf! A wolf in sheep’s clothing! The wolf known as Stealth Authoritarianism has now evolved and is attempting to be the shepherd of sheep. Its ulterior motive is to become a shepherd and...

Democracy in Name, Fear in Reality: Mexico

Apr 20, 2026 | George Mason University, Universities

What if a country is called a democracy, but many people are too afraid to vote? Mexico is seen as a democratic country. It has elections, political parties and a constitution. But many people feel...

Thailand’s Hybrid Regime: Democracy Shaped by Military and Monarchy by Ashleigh Sodee

Apr 20, 2026 | George Mason University

Thailand’s political system is also shaped by the continued influence of the monarchy, particularly under King Maha Vajiralongkorn, which makes it distinct from many of its Southeast Asian...

Turkey Still Holds Elections, So How Does Erdoğan Make Use of Religiously Entangled State Power to Erode Democracy?

Apr 20, 2026 | George Mason University

Turkey still holds elections, yet democratic competition in the country has become increasingly constrained. Freedom House’s 2026 report rates Turkey 32/100 and classifies it as “Not Free,”...

The Quiet Erosion of Democracy : Why Israel’s Political Crisis Should Worry Us All

Apr 20, 2026 | George Mason University

The Quiet Erosion of Democracy : Why Israel’s Political Crisis Should Worry Us All GOVT133 Seungyun Lim A country can hold free elections and still slowly lose the quality that makes it truly...