Democratic Erosion University Course Student Blog

The relationship between religion and democracy is a complex one, which makes the interaction between religious communities and the state particularly nuanced. At times, churches act as pillars of authoritarian stability; at other times, they become the loudest voices of opposition. The Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) offers a particularly interesting example in this regard—both similar to and distinct from other historical cases of alliance and conflict between altar and state.

When Xi Jinping declared that China had achieved “a whole-process people’s democracy,” many outside observers saw the phrase as contradictory. How could an authoritarian, one-party state claim to be democratic? Yet this rhetoric is not mere propaganda, it represents a...

The political instability in Peru shows how a democracy can fall silently and without a coup. A Congress committed to safeguarding the constitution, but instead exposed its flaws when it unanimously ousted Dina Boluarte and installed José Jerí as the Constitutional President. Legislators have taken control of the state by using the legal system as a weapon, eroding public confidence and accountability. Peru is a prime example of democratic disintegration through institutional capture, with approval ratings in the single digits and emergency decrees in response to protests. Elections continue, but legitimacy has disappeared. This piece, which draws from O’Donnell, Svolik,