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 are student blog posts written by student participants in the Democratic Erosion Course. These posts were not written by nor represent the views of the Democratic Erosion Consortium.

Food Security is Rooted Abroad

Global fertilizer supply chains connect geopolitical events abroad to food production at home in ways most consumers don’t see.

The Meaning of Silence : What the moment of silence for Melissa Hortman says about American democracy

On June 14, 2025, the lives of Melissa Hortman who was a House speaker in Minnesota and her husband Mark were taken in what authorities believe to be a politically motivated act of violence. The same day Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also shot and...

Buying Injustice: The Hidden Harms of this Act.

Are we looking to create a thriving society, or are we allowing fear into the lives of immigrant families? As new immigration policies appear, the question become, how do we prevent the changes that involve separating families and dismantling the place that...

Examining Democratic Backsliding Through the Actions of ICE

Feb 20, 2026 | Salem State University

The disruption and terror produced by ICE agents have spread rapidly across the United States, having devastating impacts on big cities and small towns alike. In Leominster,...

How Trump is using Stealth Authority

Feb 19, 2026 | Boston University

Donald Trump has partook in many actions that concern many about the health of American democracy. While deeply explored by many people and complaints about him are common,...

1922 in 2022: The Return of the Far Right in Italy

Nov 10, 2022 | Skidmore College

The polls have closed; the votes have been tallied; the election is over -- Giorgia Meloni, head of the far-right Brothers of Italy Party is the country’s next prime minister. Meloni, who is the...

Exporting Hindutva: The Dangers of Hindu Nationalism’s Transformation into Islamophobia on the Global Stage

Nov 9, 2022 | Skidmore College

The Republic of India has been the most populous democracy in the world since its foundation 75 years ago. Since the meteoric rise of Hindu Nationalism, also known as Hindutva, and subsequent...

The Duterte Way And His Legacy on Philippine Democracy

Nov 9, 2022 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

Rodrigo Duterte’s presidential candidacy in the Philippines’ 2016 elections was a breath of fresh air for a majority of Filipinos. In a society of frustrated poor and ordinary citizens where the...

People Power Fatigue: How Past Revolutions’ Rise (And Fall) Led to Democratic Erosion in the Philippines

Nov 8, 2022 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

Photo taken by Joey de Vera from People Power: The Philippine Revolution of 1986: An eyewitness history, among other historical books. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=352007 Fatigue has...

The Case of Bolivia: When Democratic Backsliding Delivers to the Masses

Nov 6, 2022 | Skidmore College

Over the last two decades, Bolivian democracy has been routinely attacked and undermined by its leftist government. While many have protested the authoritarian actions of the ruling party, a...

What Cuba Can Teach the West About Democracy

Nov 6, 2022 | Skidmore College

As the world’s most established democracies flare warning signs of deterioration, perhaps it’s time for a look at liberal democracy’s most fervent critics to inspire renovation of our ideals. On...

Revisionism in Social Media and Philippine Democracy

Nov 6, 2022 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

In the digital age, social media has expanded from being a site showcasing lifestyles and personalities, linking and building connections between people, and a form of social entertainment to a...

Duterte’s Counterinsurgency Program: There Is More Than Meets the Eye

Nov 1, 2022 | University of the Philippines, Diliman

You’ll find no freer democracy than the Republic of the Philippines under former President Rodrigo Duterte (2016-2022). Well, at least that’s what former National Task Force to End Local Communist...

Rewriting Democracy: Chile’s Triumph of Institutional Process

Nov 1, 2022 | Skidmore College

On September 4, 2022, Chileans were offered a new path forward for their country. A new constitution had been drafted to replace the Pinochet era version, and Chilean citizens had the opportunity to...