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.

First 100 Days, More Like First 100 Hours: How Trump’s First 100 Days Played Out Against Trump’s Second 100 Hours

Indiana Senator Jim Banks, a staunch Trump ally, predicted that President Trump’s return to power would be characterized by “shock and awe.” In many ways, the events of President Trump’s first 100 hours in office during his second term have lived up to that promise....

History Repeats: Why Strong Global Defense is Key to Preventing Autocracy

A strong and consistent global defense by democratic nations is crucial to preventing the rise of autocratic regimes, as history shows—from the Cold War doctrines to the failed democratization of Afghanistan—that without committed follow-through and structural reform, authoritarian forces will exploit weaknesses and reclaim power.

Women in Political Dynasties: The Illusion of Choice and Democratic Erosion in the Philippines

Political dynasties have long controlled Philippine politics, with powerful families passing down leadership positions across generations. Despite the imposition of term limits discouraging dynastic rule, these families have found their way around the constitutional...

Are We Losing our Sense of National Pride? Vivek Ramaswamy Seems to Think So

Oct 11, 2024 | Ohio State University

Vivek Ramaswamy, a former candidate for the Republican Party’s 2024 presidential nomination, strongly believes in putting America first in almost every scenario. I recently...

Local Governments Still Embody What it Truly Means to be Democratic

Oct 11, 2024 | Ohio State University

As Americans who value democracy, we frequently want to be able to directly sit down with our representatives and voice our opinions and be able to have civil discussion on...

What’s the Future for France’s Democracy?

Apr 22, 2022 | Boston University

French President Emmanuel Macron is going to face off against far-right challenger Marine Le Pen on Sunday in France's second round presidential election. While supporters of the Incumbent are...

Putin and Democratic Erosion

Apr 22, 2022 | Boston University

What Putin's actions during the Russo-Ukrainian, Russo-Georgian, and Second Chechen war tell us about the threats he poses to Democracy worldwide Introduction Last month, amidst an address on the...

Don’t Lose Focus On France

Apr 22, 2022 | Boston University

Europe has enough democratic threats currently underway, but we cannot lose focus on efforts of democratic backsliding happening in France. With all of the action occurring in Europe, between the...

Modi’s New India: The World’s Largest Democracy Under Fire

Apr 22, 2022 | Boston University

Many would characterize India as the world’s largest democracy. Even the current Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has called India “The mother of all democracies.” However, it seems as though that the...

The Zambian Case: A Lesson in Reversing Democratic Erosion

Apr 22, 2022 | Boston University

Discussions of democratic erosion tend to focus on the negative: obstacles facing pro-democratic movements, the rise of populism, or the horrific consequences of authoritarianism on human rights....

Good Neighbors: The Importance of Protecting Democracy in Ukraine’s Neighbor Moldova

Apr 22, 2022 | Boston University

The recent Russian invasion of Ukraine has dominated political discussions shifting the focus of the world towards Eastern Europe as the current location of the battleground between democracy and...

Does Social Media Need More Oversight?

Apr 22, 2022 | Boston University

In a public appearance at Stanford, former president Barack Obama called for greater “regulatory oversight” of large social media giants. He argued that their power to select and provide information...

The Evolution of Hong Kong’s Independence Movement: A Radical Transformation into Unarmed Violence

Apr 22, 2022 | Boston University

Nearly five years after the famous Hong Kong Umbrella Movement, independence fighters re-emerged in the spring of 2019 with a vengeance in order to protest a highly controversial extradition bill...

Political Upheaval in Myanmar

Apr 22, 2022 | Boston University

In the past decade, the number of successful coups was on a steady decline, with a max of two successful coups in a year between 2015 and 2020. This number was down from decades past, suggesting...