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.

Trump has removed the National Science Foundation Board: Where does the overreach stop?

President Donald Trump notified the National Science Foundation’s Board that they were terminated effective immediately. However, this is not the Trump Administration’s first move in abruptly terminating independent institutions. This analysis of the removal explores the implications of this recent attack on independent institutions and academia.

Born Here, Belonging Nowhere: The Constitutional Crisis of Executive Order 14,160

On January 20, 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued executive order No. 14,160 titled “Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship,” which declared that individuals born in the United States are not U.S citizens at birth if their parents lack sufficient...

The Silver Lining of American Retreat: How U.S. Disengagement from NATO Could Forge a Stronger Europe

There is a peculiar irony at the heart of what is happening to NATO right now. The United States, the alliance’s founding architect and long-time guarantor, has spent the better part of the last decade making clear that it is running out of patience with the...

Are Prediction Markets a Threat to Democracy?

Mar 9, 2026 | University of Houston

If you have made the grave mistake of being a living human being in 2026, you have no doubt been swarmed with ads for gambling services. DraftKings and Fanduel are so...

Above the Law? Presdential Immunity and the Slow Shift of Democratic Power.

Mar 9, 2026 | University of Houston

In July 2024, the Supreme Court decided Trump v. United States. The ruling? Former presidents have broad immunity from criminal prosecution for “official acts” they take...

The expansive measures of being democratic: A lesson learned from Palestine

Oct 16, 2023 | School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

A ceaseless conflict between the State of Palestine and Israel appears to have no end in sight. Despite international efforts on humanitarian issues, especially for civilians, the Israeli military...

Thoughts on Russian “Democracy”

Oct 16, 2023 | Boston University

While the focus on Russia today is its war in Ukraine, which as of writing this enters its 600th day, not too long ago that focus was on the state of its “democracy”. Prior to the invasion, much of...

The Supreme Court’s Potential to Erode Democracy

Oct 15, 2023 | Boston University

The Supreme Court, an institution responsible for providing equal justice under the law, contradicts this role in our current democracy. As the two other branches of government become more...

The Delegitimization of American Political Institutions

Oct 15, 2023 | Boston University

Until fairly recently, Americans tended to view their own constitutional democracy as their greatest source of joy as citizens. We saw ourselves as a shining beacon of political and civil liberty,...

The supreme immunity: Could it be a stealth authoritarianism?

Oct 15, 2023 | School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

An example from Indonesia’s new Article of libel and defamation In the essence of practicing democracy, a fundamental understanding is that it provides a safe space for both criticism and...

China in Cambodia: Threat to Regional Stability

Oct 15, 2023 | School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

The shrinking of Cambodia’s civic and political space mirrors the elections and authoritarian consolidation of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP). Since 2021, Cambodia’s civil society, media, and...

Aspects for Deliberation: Can Democracy Truly Foster Gender Equality and Dismantle Patriarchy’s Structural?

Oct 15, 2023 | School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

Introduction Gender equality and the dismantling of the patriarchal system are essential components of social progress. While democracy is often viewed as a system that upholds fundamental rights...

Reflection on Moving Forward: Local Governance Approach to Mitigate Conflict and Elevate Civilian Engagement and Freedom of Expression in Burma/Myanmar

Oct 15, 2023 | School of Public Policy, Chiang Mai University

Many think tanks, ethnic leaders, and some researchers in Myanmar always argue that the concept of federal democracy is suitable to adopt and practice in a country like Myanmar, a country with...

Tensions Escalate Following Terrorist Attack in Northern Kosovo

Oct 13, 2023 | Salem State University

By Luciano Hoxhaj On September 24, 2023, more than 30 armed Serbs attacked a monastery in Banjska, a village near Kosovo’s northern border with Serbia. The attack saw four dead, including three...