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 are student blog posts written by student participants in the Democratic Erosion Course. These posts were not written by nor represent the views of the Democratic Erosion Consortium.

Food Security is Rooted Abroad

Global fertilizer supply chains connect geopolitical events abroad to food production at home in ways most consumers don’t see.

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...

Buying Injustice: The Hidden Harms of this Act.

Are we looking to create a thriving society, or are we allowing fear into the lives of immigrant families? As new immigration policies appear, the question become, how do we prevent the changes that involve separating families and dismantling the place that...

Donald Trump Continues to Exemplify Every Autocratic Warning Sign in the Book

Mar 26, 2026 | Salem State University

The recent launching of an air strike campaign by the United States and Israel against Iran has the international and domestic community alike holding their...

Fear Over Freedom: ICE in Trump’s America

Mar 26, 2026 | Suffolk University

Why the ATF’s Pistol Brace Ruling Hurts

Apr 10, 2023 | University of Utah

On the January 13th, 2023 the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives signed a new rule that could make millions of Americans felons overnight. Rule 2021R-08F amends how the ATF interprets...

The Isolation of Successful Immigrants by Isabel Canamary Otoch

Apr 10, 2023 | Rollins College

Why So Many Children of Immigrants Rise to the Top [1] by Peter Coy reflects on the findings of two economists, Professor Abramitzky and Professor Boustan, displayed in their book, "Streets of Gold:...

Is American Democracy Backsliding?

Apr 10, 2023 | Rollins College

Vucci, Evan. AP News. https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/656bfaa6bbb53b98a58c29bebb769f0d04500b1b/0_63_5074_3045/master/5074.jpg?width=645&quality=45&dpr=2&s=none Hi, guys! I am Zubair...

Conservative Demagogues Use a Scapegoat When Confronted About Gun Violence

Apr 9, 2023 | Rollins College

A loved one has just been murdered at school days prior in yet another mass shooting and, rather than doing something about it, your legislators make it even easier to obtain and carry a firearm in...

How Moldova Advances Its Democracy by Distancing Itself from Russia

Apr 5, 2023 | University of Utah

Russia’s relations with Moldova have been problematic and increasingly aggressive, especially since Vladimir Putin’s military intervention in Ukraine. Nevertheless, this is not a recent occurrence....

Florida’s Censorship of History Puts Their Democracy at Risk

Apr 4, 2023 | University of Utah

Discomfort is a vital tool used in change. People learning about history that makes them uncomfortable forces them to understand the importance of their actions and keeps them from repeating...

Show Us, Don’t Tell Us: Poll Working and How It Can Increase the Gen-Z Vote

Jan 20, 2023 | Georgia State University Perimeter College

In the 2022 Midterms, young voters nationally had the second highest turnout in history with 27% of people 18-27 showing up to the polls. Some ask for the reason of the increase.Of course, you could...

Supporting the Workforce of Democracy

Jan 14, 2023 | Georgia State University Perimeter College

In the US, we have a large and organized workforce that otherwise goes unnoticed during the elections. The workers on election day are composed of volunteers and government workers alike, each of...

The Role of COVID-19 in Latin America’s Democratic Erosion

Jan 12, 2023 | Sabanci University

The current global crisis of democracy also extends to Latin America, where half of the countries display signs of democratic erosion. In this context, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated many of...