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.

Authoritarianism in Singapore: Challenging Narratives of a Benevolent British Empire

British imperialism is often credited with spreading democracy, but Singapore’s colonial past shows how it can also lay the groundwork for enduring authoritarianism.

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,...

Truth Social was a failed populist experiment. A second Trump victory could change that.

Oct 10, 2024 | Brown University

If former President Donald Trump is a populist, he certainly isn’t a traditional one. An analysis of the former President’s speeches by UCLA researchers found that he...

A Turning Point for Immigration Reform in the 2024 Presidential Election

Oct 10, 2024 | Ohio State University

The failure to address immigration in formal debate is something that has happened for at least a decade now! The failure to EVEN have discourse about immigration is...

It’s Time to Make Election Day a Federal Holiday

Apr 28, 2022 | University of Georgia

Voter suppression is one of the most pressing issues facing American democracy today. Many scholars worry we are living through a second coming of Jim Crow as across the nation elected officials are...

Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil’s Populist Threat

Apr 28, 2022 | University of Georgia

Brazil is one of the world’s largest democracies. In 2018, Brazil elected Jair Bolsonaro, President. Since then, he has been undermining their democracy. By using populist rhetoric to get elected...

Democratic Backsliding in Poland

Apr 28, 2022 | University of Georgia

As Russia has gained worldwide attention in recent months through engaging in inflammatory and aggressive authoritarian action, it has brought to light the important role that democracy has in...

Democratic Erosion in Czechia

Apr 27, 2022 | University of Georgia

Although the Czech Republic has a higher functioning democracy than most other Eastern European countries, it too has seen a gradual shift towards illiberalism. From 2006 to 2021, the Czech Republic...

Foreign Intervention in Building Democracies: Does It Set Them Up for Failure?

Apr 27, 2022 | University of Georgia

Time and time again, during times of conflict, we often see interventionist strategies employed by powerful democratic countries. These countries work under the guise of democratization, where they...

The 2022 French Presidential Election: A Call for Political Reform

Apr 27, 2022 | University of Georgia

2022 French Presidential Election Poster The results of the 2022 French presidential election have left many wondering where the future of French political life will lead. While incumbent Emmanual...

Democratic Erosion in Hungary

Apr 27, 2022 | University of Georgia

On April 3 of this year, Hungry re-elected their prime minister Viktor Orban for his fourth consecutive term. His political party, Fidesz won 54.18% of the national party list vote and 83% of single...

History Repeating Itself: Pakistan’s Election Crisis Is Nothing New for the Country

Apr 27, 2022 | University of Georgia

Pakistan has had a troubled history with its leadership, and despite the past few years of relative stability, it seems that trend is not about to change. Not even a few weeks prior, former cricket...

The War in Tigray

Apr 27, 2022 | University of Georgia

While the majority of western media continues its focus on the current Russian invasion of Ukraine, a plethora of armed conflicts continue to rage in the global south. One of the more violent of...