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.

You Can’t Sit with Us: The Practice of Democratic Gatekeeping and How It Has Saved Democracies

At the 11th hour of the 2024 election many Republican politicians and members of congress took a stance against Republican candidate, Donald Trump. Through the “Republicans for Harris” tagline, they urged their supporters through various forms of appeals to vote...

The Erosion of an Already Weak Democracy: The Rise and Fall of Jovenel Moïse

Jovenel Moïse's presidency marked a dangerous shift from Haiti's already shaky democracy to overt authoritarianism. Delayed elections, unchecked abuse of executive power, and violent suppression of resistance became the norm. By the time of his assassination in 2021,...

Undermining the Feedback Loop: How Trump’s Educational Policies Hinder Democratic Accountability

In a larger trend of censoring opinions which the Trump administration views as undesirable, the Trump administration’s actions towards schools and universities has a negative impact on democracy as a whole. Such a system depends on the free transmission of...

City Council and Solving Politics

Oct 11, 2024 | Ohio State University

Efficiency. Responsiveness. Order. They were all perfectly present in the 48th regular meeting of the Columbus City Council, an affair where proceedings were...

Calling for Local Engagement: The Ohio Democratic Party Phone Bank

Oct 11, 2024 | Ohio State University

For the last two weeks, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I have volunteered for the Ohio Democratic Party’s phone bank, speaking with local candidates across the state and...

The Bottomless Pit: The Steel Trap That Is Populism, and Why Escape May Not Be Feasible Once Sprung

May 25, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

With the increasing polarization of Americans, and the newfound wave of popular support for far-right populism as birthed by Donald Trump and his supporters, it is becoming increasingly difficult to...

CPAC in Hungary: Endorsing Extremism and Attacking the Press

May 24, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban addresses a keynote speech during an extraordinary session of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the Balna cultural centre of Budapest,...

Tunisia in Turmoil: Rising Populism and Democratic Erosion

May 24, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

In response to corruption and economic struggle, the 2010-2011 Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia sparked unrest and a call for democracy and reform within the entire Arab region. While protests in many...

Pennsylvania’s Republican Senatorial Primary Suggests a Re-Legitimization of Anti-Liberal Democratic Populism

May 24, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

The GOP senatorial primary, in Pennsylvania, has been dominated by the candidacies of Mehmet Oz, David McCormick and Kathy Barnette. Beyond their disparate political histories, however, lies a pair...

The Mexican Recall Election: President Recalls Himself

May 24, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

President Lopez Obrador uses the process intended to remove an unpopular President from office to instead reinforce his supposed popularity. On April 10, 2022 Mexico held a Presidential recall...

False Information in Social Media and the American Government

May 24, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

As our society is becoming more technologically advanced, we are moving towards using social media not only as a recreational tool, but also as a social platform. Most people have noticed this...

The Republican Party’s War on Democracy

May 23, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

A recently leaked draft from the Supreme Court shows that the Justices have decided to overturn the longstanding case of Roe v. Wade. This will give states the ability to mandate whether or not...

Chile: New Hope For Democratic Consolidation?

May 22, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

President Gabriel Boric Democratic erosion is currently a global crisis, as many countries experience various forms of backsliding, including the United States. The global loss of democratic systems...

The Attack on Women’s Voting Rights in the US

May 21, 2022 | University of California, San Diego

The true republic: men, their rights, and nothing more; women, their rights, and nothing less.Susan B. Anthony Superficially the eradication of women's rights to choose is an attack on bodily...