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.

Donald Trump the Nazi Reincarnate?: Godwin’s Law and How This Phenomenon is Counterproductive to Understanding Democratic Erosion

What do we hope to accomplish when comparing President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler, a tyrannical perpetrator of genocide?

The Russia-Ukraine War Bodes Poorly for Democracy, But Not in the Way You Think

The Russia-Ukraine War is a serious threat to global democracy through the growing wave of isolationism in the United States, an entity that has typically been at the forefront of fighting authoritarianism across the world.

The Trump Administration’s Attack on USAID

The Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle USAID, increase concerns about democratic backsliding as it could result in a trend with the executive undermining institutional legitimacy.

Do Americans’ views on identity increase the risk of democratic erosion in the United States?

Apr 26, 2024 | William Jewell College

“Our democracy is at stake” might as well become the official tagline for all U.S. elections. The threats of authoritarianism and democratic erosion seem to always be...

Poland’s Democratic Paradox: The Remarkable Path Toward (and Away?) from Democratic Erosion

Apr 25, 2024 | William Jewell College

For any country, democratic backsliding can happen suddenly and, seemingly, unpredictably. The case for Poland, however, demonstrates predictors of erosion unseen anywhere...

A Racist Conspiracy Theory Emerged in the 2022 French Presidential Elections

Apr 20, 2022 | Rollins College

“In 10 years, will we still be the seventh power in the world? Will we still be a sovereign nation or an auxiliary of the United States, a counter of China? Will we be a united nation or a...

The Right to Repost: Understanding the Spread of Right-Wing Conspiracies on Social Media Platforms

Apr 20, 2022 | Rollins College

Image courtesy of Brett Jordan, unsplash.com The Washington Post published an article on Tuesday, April 19, that gave a detailed history of the “social media phenomenon” known as Libs of TikTok. The...

Alex Jones: Menace to American Democracy

Apr 20, 2022 | Rollins College

Alex Jones’s job consists of profiting off of formulating outlandish conspiracy theories, exploiting national tragedies, and eliciting emotions such as fear and anger in his audience. But it’s all a...

Polarization in Colombia: A Force for Change?

Apr 20, 2022 | Boston University

Colombia’s upcoming presidential elections are sure to be historic, no matter the outcome. With 75% of the population disapproving of current president Iván Duque at the beginning of 2022, citizens...

Spiritual Aristocracy: The Christian Nationalist Threat to American Democracy

Apr 20, 2022 | University of Georgia

In the Appalachian foothills of Tennessee, a congregation gathers every Sunday like many churches across the United States. The church is a barn-like structure with a giant American flag painted...

Viktor Orban’s Hungary: A Democracy Backsliding

Apr 20, 2022 | Boston University

With the end of the Cold War and fall of the Soviet Union in 1989, the political systems of eastern Europe began to undergo massive change. As countries transitioned away from the communist regimes...

Viktor Orban and the Backsliding of Democracy in Europe

Apr 20, 2022 | Boston University

Early April saw populist leader Viktor Orban claim victory in the Hungarian election, with his right-wing party Fidesz winning a two-thirds majority in parliament. The defeat of the United for...

The Potential Effects of the Russo-Ukrainian War on World Democracy

Apr 20, 2022 | Boston University

In a recent article published by The Washington Post, the author lays out potential problems with an already problematic situation in Ukraine, pointing to a recent report from Freedom House, a...

Trump Is a Symptom, Not a Cause

Apr 19, 2022 | Rollins College

In his essay in the New York Times titled, Trump Poses a Test Democracy is Failing, Thomas B. Edsall, a professor of political journalism at Columbia, explains the changes to the American political...