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.

Why Estonia’s decision to disenfranchise non-EU citizens is doing more harm than good

Estonia’s fears over Russian and Belarusian citizens participating in local elections has led to highly restrictive measures that affect far more than those two groups.

Democratic Backsliding or Payback to the Democrats? Unpacking Yoon’s Presidency in South Korea

The post examines the growing democracy erosion in South Korea that preceded the impeachment of Yoon Suk-yeol.

Ballots and Bullets: How Political Violence Is Undermining Democracy in Mexico

Ballots and Bullets: How Political Violence Is Undermining Democracy in Mexico In 2024, Mexico held one of the largest and most consequential elections in its recent history—electing over 20,000 officials nationwide, including a new president, Claudia Sheinbaum...

The Democratic Struggle in Haiti

May 8, 2024 | Ursinus College

The recent gang related events in Haiti have spiraled out of control. The state lacked the capacity and power to prevent such gang activity. Haiti has long had the formal...

Nayib Bukele’s Dystopia

May 5, 2024 | American University

When Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18 members were deported to El Salvador, they returned to a country that did not help them reintegrate or even...

Benin: How Elections Led to Democratic Backsliding

Apr 21, 2022 | Boston University

Patrice Talon (L) is handed a national flag during his swearing in as president of Benin at Charles de Gaulle Stadium in the capital Porto-Novo on April 6, 2016. Businessman Patrice Talon was sworn...

DeSantis Assumes Control of Redistricting in Florida

Apr 21, 2022 | Boston University

In recent weeks, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis achieved a major victory in the state’s redistricting process following an announcement by Republican leaders in Florida's legislature that they will...

Going Nuclear, and Its Threats to American Democracy

Apr 21, 2022 | Boston University

In 2013, United States Senate Democrats went nuclear. That is, they changed the rules so that it would take only a simple majority to override a filibuster and confirm nominees for cabinet posts as...

The Radical Right Has Found a New Home: Rumble

Apr 20, 2022 | Rollins College

Media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube have cracked down on the spread of misinformation and far-right conspiracy theories after the 2020 election. Many conservatives believe these...

Conspiracy in American Politics: QAnon Steps Up to the Political Stage

Apr 20, 2022 | Rollins College

QAnon, a political conspiracy movement, has grown in popularity in recent years among political right extremists. According to the Grid investigative journalist Steve Riley--an expert on threats to...

“At Once Pro-Choice and Pro-Life:” What Recent Radical Changes in Abortion Law Mean for Democracy At Large

Apr 20, 2022 | Rollins College

An article in the April 16th, 2022 issue of The Economist, “What Happens If America’s Supreme Court Overturns Women’s Right to Abortion,” dives into...

The Era of Misinformation: Social Media and Political Discourse’s Strained Relationship

Apr 20, 2022 | Rollins College

The New York Times’s article “Barack Obama Takes On a New Role: Fighting Disinformation” by Steven Lee Myers and Cecilia Kang presents the new steps and direction former President Obama is taking in...

Democratic Backsliding in Tunisia: The Lone Democracy in the Arab World

Apr 20, 2022 | Boston University

Emerging as a democracy after the Arab Spring, Tunisia was a source of hope and a leading example for the development of democracy in the Arab world - something highly supported by the European...

What Is the Matter with Many American Voters?

Apr 20, 2022 | Rollins College

One of the greatest paradoxes in politics that has stirred up in the United States for several years has been trying to understand why a large portion of the working class began voting against its...