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.

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...
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The New Future of Warfare? How Social Media is Inflating Tensions Between the U.S. and Iran.

Social media is moving to the forefront of the ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran, with political elites from both sides of the conflict using social media as a weapon to fabricate narratives and generate AI videos to publicly denounce the actions of one...
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Modern Day Scarlet Letter: Women in Afghanistan Being Shamed for Mens’ Actions

Women in Afghanistan are stuck under the oppressive Tabilan rule. After the 2021, United States withdraw from the country, there has been grave crimes against womne. Gulnaz, a young girl from Afghanistan, has a tragic story but her story does not stand alone. We must speak for these women who cannot. They cannot be forgotten.

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