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.

Public Opinion, Polarization, and Pushback on the Impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte

With months ahead of impeachment trial of Sara Duterte in the Philippine Senate, we can expect more political theatrics to unfold and try to win over public opinion.

Forced Conscription in Eritrea: No Opportunities for the Youth of Eritrea

Eritrea’s forced conscription into national service has resulted in a struggling education sector and thousands of people fleeing the country.

The Politics of Shame: How Bobotante Narrative Poses Threats to Philippine Democracy

In democratic countries, elections are seen as a great equalizer for each individual, as they are entitled to free expression, regardless of their background. However, this is not the case in the Philippines, as the 2022 election has turned into a battlefield of shame...

Democratic Erosion is Exactly What Hungarians Wanted

Dec 5, 2024 | Brown University

Since 2010, Hungary has had the same leader - far-right populist Viktor Orban. He rose in popularity in the late 1980s after he called on the Soviet Red Army to “go home.”...

Cash for Votes: How Pervasive Clientelism Undermines India’s Democracy

Dec 4, 2024 | Brown University

“All elected leaders buy votes. Even children know that” (NPR). This is how governance in India is viewed by many of its citizens: a system that is democratic in name, with...

Corporate Authoritarianism in Ohio: How a Bribery Scheme Led to Widespread Subversion of Democracy

Sep 30, 2022 | Ohio State University

Within American democracy, politicians incorporate aspects of stealth authoritarianism into every level of politics. Often, the most brazen political stunts are performed when eyes are pointed...

U.S. Democracy Threatened at its Birthplace: Doug Mastriano’s Rise in Pennsylvania

Sep 30, 2022 | Ohio State University

Pennsylvania Statehouse - Harrisburg, Pennsylvania One of the most troubling developments of the 2022 election cycle has been the nomination of Doug Mastriano to be the Republican Party’s candidate...

Mar-a-Lago Raid: How Trump’s Attacks on the Judiciary Spell Disaster

Sep 30, 2022 | Ohio State University

On August 8th, for the first time, law enforcement agents raided the home of a former president on suspicion of criminal activity. The ensuing legal conflict between former president Donald Trump...

Voter ID Laws – A Solution to Voter Fraud or a Threat to Democracy?

Sep 30, 2022 | Ohio State University

If there is one democratic concept that has been emphasized time and time again, one idea that is vital for a state to even credit itself as democratic––it’s elections. Yet, since the 2020...

Ohio Continues To Have a Districting Issue

Sep 30, 2022 | Ohio State University

As of 2022, the state of Ohio has yet to fix its gerrymandering issue. With the new census results showing clear drops in Ohio’s population, the state has lost a district and must therefore...

Is Democracy in the United States Backsliding?

Sep 30, 2022 | Ohio State University

In recent years the state of democracy, even in the United States, has been questioned and even described as democratically backsliding. This seems to be a scary thought for a country which prides...

National Security v. Civil Liberties – Government Surveillance and the Concerning Power of the State Secrets Privilege

Sep 30, 2022 | Ohio State University

In the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks, the United States government adopted extensive surveillance measures in the hopes of preventing further tragedies. Over time, these measures...

Unfair Elections: A Breach of Freedom

Sep 30, 2022 | Ohio State University

The concept of free and fair elections, one of the hallmarks of a functioning democracy, seems to be slipping away in the United States. While Donald Trump’s claims of election fraud in the 2020...

Trump’s Schedule F Is a Threat to Democracy

Sep 30, 2022 | Ohio State University

And you thought Trump’s 92% adviser turnover rate was bad? Former President Donald Trump has committed, upon reelection, to legally reclassify thousands of federal jobs to facilitate mass firings....