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.

Donald Trump the Nazi Reincarnate?: Godwin’s Law and How This Phenomenon is Counterproductive to Understanding Democratic Erosion

What do we hope to accomplish when comparing President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler, a tyrannical perpetrator of genocide?

The Russia-Ukraine War Bodes Poorly for Democracy, But Not in the Way You Think

The Russia-Ukraine War is a serious threat to global democracy through the growing wave of isolationism in the United States, an entity that has typically been at the forefront of fighting authoritarianism across the world.

The Trump Administration’s Attack on USAID

The Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle USAID, increase concerns about democratic backsliding as it could result in a trend with the executive undermining institutional legitimacy.

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...

Democracy in Peril: The Menace of Fake News and Propaganda of the Marcoses on Social Media in the Philippines

May 27, 2024 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

After the People Power Revolution ousted Ferdinand Marcos, the Filipinos vowed that neither the Marcoses nor the tyranny of martial law would ever return to Malacañang...

News Burnout And Incompetence in Our American Leaders

Jun 6, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

We live in an age of social media where most young adults are chronically online. If you were to ask a handful of young adults where they get their news from, most people are likely to answer...

Trump Stacked The Supreme Court: Roe v. Wade Is Just The Beginning

Jun 5, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

Roe v. Wade is just one of the first casualties to come as a result of Trump’s brand of stealth authoritarianism and the gradual weakening of American democracy since his rise to power The recent...

Poland’s Judiciary and Diplomacy As a Solution to Democratic Backsliding

Jun 5, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

There have been concerns about Poland’s democracy since the party of Law and Justice (PiS) came to power in 2015. The party has introduced legislation that restricts the rights of women, migrants,...

How Mexico’s Femicide Exposes Its Corruption

Jun 5, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

Femicide is broadly defined by the World Health Organization as the intentional killing of women because they are women. Mexico has been facing a femicide crisis since at least 1993. Since the...

The Power of the Platform: Democratic Advocacy for the LGBTQ+ Community on TikTok and Mass Media

Jun 4, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

With 115.6 Million views and counting, the TikTok hashtag, “#DontSayGayBill” continues to receive much online attention weeks after its creation. The hashtag itself is littered with videos that...

Populist Rhetoric, Human Psychology, and the Battle For Gun Reform in the United States

Jun 4, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

On May 24, an 18 year old entered a classroom at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas and murdered 19 children and 2 teachers. This event, coupled with a different mass shooting at a grocery...

Looking for Its First Leftist Leader, Colombia’s Second Round of Presidential Elections Take a Right Turn

Jun 3, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

Following the first round of presidential elections, in which no candidate received a majority of the votes, Colombia's top two candidates will compete in a runoff election on June 19, 2022. ...

Undermining Education through Political Motivation

Jun 3, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

Recently the state of Florida passed legislation that would establish November 7th as “Victims of Communism day”. On that day students throughout the state will receive a one hour special lecture on...

Understanding Populism and Its Effect in Bolivia

Jun 2, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

Populism is unique in that it can take on many shapes and is not tied to either end of the political spectrum but is rather an ideology. Populist leaders also rarely claim the title themselves but...