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.

Arresting Opposition and Squashing Protests: Democratic Backsliding in Turkey Under Erdoğan

Turkey has been inching towards autocracy under Erdoğan and the AKP for the last 22 years.

2025 Romanian Elections: An Election Redo and a Barred Candidate

Only two weeks out from Presidential Elections, Romanian voters face a tough decision in deciding on the next leader of their country. The latest opinion polls show that nearly 40% of voters are still undecided on who to vote for. After all, most voters already cast...

Why Protecting American Democracy Means Coming Together In Protest

In the lead up to the 2020 presidential election, the Democratic Erosion Consortium's very own professors Robert Blair and Steven Rosenzweig wrote an article in The Boston Globe urging readers to “Get ready to protest like democracy depends on it.” The article was in...

It’s Not Just Federal! State Democracies Erode Too.

Sep 13, 2024 | Ohio State University

America’s states are sometimes referred to as “laboratories of democracy” since their policies can shape policies on the national level. However, in an America where...

Trump v. United States: A Greenlight for Authoritarianism?

Sep 13, 2024 | Ohio State University

On July 1, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the President of the United States is above the law. In Trump v. United States, the Supreme Court reviewed allegations...

Department of Homeland Security Announces New Disinformation Board

May 17, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

On April 27, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it had formed a new board focused on combating disinformation. The board will be headed by Nina Jankowicz, a Wilson Center...

Rise of Erdogan and Democratic Erosion in Turkey

May 17, 2022 | SUNY-Binghamton

Turkey was once the beacon of democratic liberalism in the East, outside of the Western powers. However, under its current leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling party, Justice and Development...

Myanmar 2020 Election Fraud

May 17, 2022 | SUNY-Binghamton

Since gaining independence from British Rule, Myanmar, then known as Burma, experienced years of civil unrest between various ethnic groups. Just within 8 months after independence, the country was...

Continued Conflict in Ukraine

May 16, 2022 | SUNY-Binghamton

Continued Conflict in Ukraine As of late April, Ukraine has now been subject to this most recent military occupation by Russia for about two months. Under President Vladimir Putin, the Russian...

The Partisan Divide of American Media

May 15, 2022 | SUNY-Binghamton

On April 21st, 2022, President Joe Biden unveiled the latest program of the Department of Homeland Security, Uniting for Ukraine. Under this new program, Ukrainian refugees can receive a 2-year...

Rodrigo Duterte’s Autocratic Regime and Democratic Erosion in the Philippines

May 14, 2022 | SUNY-Binghamton

As President Rodrigo Duterte’s six-year term comes to an end, this could mean positive change for democracy in the Philippines. Duterte’s autocratic regime and his war on drugs have threatened...

The Gauche Left: Why Can’t French Leftists Place in Round 2, and Why Does It Matter?

May 14, 2022 | SUNY-Binghamton

On April 24, French President Emmanuel Macron won the second round of the French presidential election, winning both a second term in office and a second campaign against rival Marine Le Pen. The...

Do Protests Do More Harm Than Good?

May 13, 2022 | SUNY-Binghamton

It is well accepted that protests are vital for a thriving democracy. They are viewed as an avenue for social change, in fact, other than voting they are one of the few other ways to voice your...

Mexico: Politics of Performance

May 13, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

The result of the referendum was never in doubt. Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (better known as AMLO), the president of Mexico, knew this. That is why he called it. Only around 19% of those who could...