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.

First 100 Days, More Like First 100 Hours: How Trump’s First 100 Days Played Out Against Trump’s Second 100 Hours

Indiana Senator Jim Banks, a staunch Trump ally, predicted that President Trump’s return to power would be characterized by “shock and awe.” In many ways, the events of President Trump’s first 100 hours in office during his second term have lived up to that promise....

History Repeats: Why Strong Global Defense is Key to Preventing Autocracy

A strong and consistent global defense by democratic nations is crucial to preventing the rise of autocratic regimes, as history shows—from the Cold War doctrines to the failed democratization of Afghanistan—that without committed follow-through and structural reform, authoritarian forces will exploit weaknesses and reclaim power.

Women in Political Dynasties: The Illusion of Choice and Democratic Erosion in the Philippines

Political dynasties have long controlled Philippine politics, with powerful families passing down leadership positions across generations. Despite the imposition of term limits discouraging dynastic rule, these families have found their way around the constitutional...

Can “Asia’s Trump” Make a Political Comeback?

Dec 5, 2024 | Brown University

He used methods of intimidation and subverted the rule of law to attack his political enemies. He played the “strong man” to weaken institutional mechanisms and checks...

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.”...

Who Should Control the Flow of Information in the Information Age: Private Businesses?

Sep 16, 2022 | Suffolk University

Apple iPhone, with many social media apps We practically live on our phones, the average use time on an iPhone is 5-6 hours a day. Given the fact that we are constantly absorbing information from...

Carrots and Sticks: How the Greek Government Undermined Free and Independent Media During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Sep 1, 2022 | Dartmouth College

While Hungary and Poland dominate the discussion of democratic erosion in Europe, it is Greece that ranks last in media freedom among European Union member-states. Since the onset of the pandemic,...

Drought Unlikely to Spark Democratization in Iran

Aug 31, 2022 | Dartmouth College

Over the past two years, large protests for clean drinking water spread throughout drought-stricken Iran. The protests, deemed the Uprising of the Thirsty, were largely unsuccessful and...

El Salvador: Authoritarianism Gone Viral

Aug 31, 2022 | Dartmouth College

Presidential election results in El Salvador, the tiny, Latin American nation may seem to be trivial to most Americans. This outlook, however, is far from the truth. In 2019, El Salvador...

Italy’s Hidden Fractures: A Democracy Dependent on the Unelected

Aug 30, 2022 | Dartmouth College

On July 14, 2022, Italy’s adolescent “national unity” government narrowly escaped complete collapse. Prime Minister (PM) Mario Draghi’s dramatic resignation ended in tentative when he heeded...

When Did Velvet Become Steel? Armenian Authoritarianism Is Now Far More Subtle but No Less Dangerous

Aug 24, 2022 | Dartmouth College

In 2018, many in the West predicted that the resignation of Armenia’s pro-Moscow autocrat Serzh Sargsyan and election of self-proclaimed reformist Nikol Pashinyan would finally lead to democratic...

Election Denialism as an Instrument of Democratic Erosion

Aug 7, 2022 | University of Denver

The most pronounced assault on American democracy is a consortium of three erosive acts proceeding President Trump’s defeat in the 2020 Presidential Election; First, Trump’s disregard for the...

Argentine Populism and Its Threat to Liberal Democracy: What Executive Manipulation of Human Rights Can Tell Us about the Health of Argentine Civil Society

Jul 25, 2022 | Dartmouth College

For nearly a century, Argentina has faced off with a unique brand of populism. Argentine populism, while originally celebrated for its mobilization of genuine people power, today poses a threat to...

Winter Falls on the Arab Spring: Newly Proposed Constitution is a Threat to Tunisian Democracy

Jul 24, 2022 | Dartmouth College

Tunisia, once a beacon of democracy in the Arab world, is on the brink of losing their democratic government that inspired millions. In late June, Tunisian President Kais Saied proposed a new...