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...

Is Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Actually Keeping Us Safe?

Mar 31, 2026 | Suffolk University

Voter fraud in the United States is almost nonexistent, with very little evidence suggesting that noncitizens are the ones committing it, if it does happen. Audits and...

The New Poll Tax: How Trump’s Executive Order Is Designed to Keep People From Voting

Mar 30, 2026 | Suffolk University

The New Poll Tax: How Trump's Executive Order Is Designed to Keep People From Voting Imagine being told you need a passport to vote. Not to travel abroad - to...

American Democracy and the Censuring of Rashida Tlaib

Nov 22, 2023 | Northeastern University

On November 7th, in a 234-188 vote, the United States House of Representatives voted to censure Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib following Tlaib’s comments on the Israel-Hamas war. Twenty-two Democrats...

Ballot Initiatives: Lessons from Ohio’s November Elections

Nov 22, 2023 | Northeastern University

On Tuesday, November 7, voters in Ohio went to the polls and voted to enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution and legalize recreational marijuana use (Issue 1 and Issue 2 on the...

Media Repression in Mexico: Why Mexico is the Deadliest Country to be a Journalist

Nov 22, 2023 | University of Memphis

Media repression threatens the civil liberties of the public and journalists. Freedom of the press is an important right that should be protected for anyone seeking a career in journalism. The right...

Gridlock From Polarization: The Current State of the United States Government

Nov 22, 2023 | Northeastern University

What is gridlock and polarization? Political theorist, Jennifer McCoy, defines polarization as, “a process whereby the normal multiplicity of differences in a society increasingly align along...

A Violent Election in the Central African Republic

Nov 22, 2023 | Northeastern University

Since the Central African Republic gained independence back in 1960, from France, it has been prone to instability and bursts of violence. The last decade of its existence has been democratic in...

Is Donald Trump Eroding Democracy?

Nov 22, 2023 | University of Memphis

On November 8, 2023, Republican presidential hopefuls gathered for their third debate, moderated by NBC. One candidate still remained absent, Donald J. Trump. Trump has refused to participate in any...

Disinformation Teaches Democracy a Lesson: The 2020 US Election

Nov 22, 2023 | University of Memphis

The 2020 United States presidential election with Democrat Joe Biden running against Republican Donald Trump was a turning point in American politics. This election was full of political games with...

Viktor Orbán: Prime Minister or Authoritarian Ruler?

Nov 21, 2023 | Northeastern University

Democracy was rocky in Hungary in its early post-communist years. Several of the political parties in power were riddled with corruption and economic inequality plagued the country. This growing...

Is Thailand a Democracy? Its 2023 Election Suggest Not

Nov 21, 2023 | Northeastern University

Despite not winning Thailand’s most recent election in May 2023, Srettha Thavisin of the Pheu Thai Party (PTP) became the nation’s prime minister in August. How could someone lose at the ballot box...