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 blogs reflect the views of the student authors, and not those of the Democratic Erosion Consortium.

Why Is Democracy Failing? South Africa’s Long-Term Rule Dilemma

In order to sustain stable democracy, long term dominant is not one of the answers.

Democracy Under Elites: The Political Influence of Monarchy in Thailand

Thailand demonstrates how democratic system can formally exist while real authority remains concentrated among untouchable elites.

Why Democracy Declined in Turkey: The Role of Polarization

This post explains how pernicious polarization became a key driver of democratic erosion in Turkey by weakening institutions, increasing distrust, and making political cooperation difficult.

Shameless Politics: How Scandal Lost Its Power in America

Dec 1, 2025 | Northeastern University

In September of 2024, FBI agents acting as businessmen met with the acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Tom Homan under the guise of helping to secure...

Recent Anti-Fico Protests Might Indicate a Positive Future for Slovakia’s Democracy

Dec 1, 2025 | University of Georgia

On November 17th, 2025, Slovakian citizens in Bratislava protested and slammed their leaders, specifically Prime Minister, Robert Fico, with chants such as: “We have enough...

Working Towards Building An Inclusive Democracy

Oct 20, 2022 | Suffolk University

“The 2020 Annual Freedom House Report finds that democracy, civil liberties, freedom, minority rights, and pluralism have been in decline globally for 14 consecutive years, along with the United...

The New GOP: Small-Government to Anti-Government

Oct 20, 2022 | Suffolk University

“I’m scared, Cameron. Things never used to be like this. They were never great but they’ve never been this bad.” This was my mom’s reaction to watching the news coverage of the January 6th...

Viktor Orbán and the GOP

Oct 19, 2022 | SUNY-Binghamton

On August 4, 2022, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary gave a speech in Dallas, Texas—by his own admission “more than five thousand miles” from his homeland—and was met with cheers and applause....

Democratic Backsliding in the United States: Gerrymandering Issue

Oct 18, 2022 | Boston University

What is Gerrymandering? Gerrymandering is an issue that has not only stretched through US history in different ways but is something that continues to be a problem in the United States' political...

Democrats Boosting Far-Right Candidates Could Impact GOP Long-Term

Oct 18, 2022 | Boston University

Preparing for this year’s midterms, Democrats have been releasing ads in support of far-right candidates with the belief that these more extreme candidates will be easier to defeat than moderate...

Italy’s Submersion into Populism – A Period of Instability Seized for Political Gain

Oct 18, 2022 | Boston University

With a proportional parliament, multi-layered elections, and an established separation of powers in government, Italy would appear to many as a strongly democratic nation. However, the country's...

Is the U.S’s 2022 Election Facing Democratic Backsliding?

Oct 18, 2022 | Boston University

As the US 2022 midterm election continues, there are several phenomena going on in the process. The two political parties; Democrats and Republicans are the two competing rivals running for the...

Democratic Backsliding in Hungary

Oct 17, 2022 | Boston University

Since the founding of the European Union in 1993, the institution’s focus has centered around the principles of a full, representative democracy. Member states of the EU are required to maintain a...

The Erosion of the Democratic Facade

Oct 17, 2022 | Boston University

The ratification of the Charter of the United Nations in 1945 ushered in a new era of international relations, worldwide cooperation, and the international prioritization of democracy. The United...