Democratic Erosion

Catalog description

The course is divided into two broad modules. The first module begins by defining democracy and democratic erosion, and then surveys six substantive themes. Each of the first five substantive themes addresses one of the causes, symptoms, and/or consequences of democratic erosion; the sixth—resistance—explores mechanisms for defending democracy from the threat of erosion. In the second module, regional or country case studies are discussed in greater depth. We conclude by returning to the case of the US and our own unique political moment.