Democracy Paradox

We think of World War II as this global democratizing event, but what it really did was strengthen left-wing authoritarianism.Dan SlaterDan Slater is the James Orin Murfin Professor of Political Science and the Director of the Center of Emerging Democracies at the University of Michigan. He is the coauthor (with Joseph Wong) of the book From Development to Democracy: The Transformations of Modern Asia. More recently, he authored the article "The Authoritarian Origins of the Third Wave" in the Journal of Democracy. The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Why Scholars Stopped Taking Ideology Seriously - 3:02The Difference Between Authoritarian Left and Right - 5:31Why the Third Wave Narrative Gets the History Wrong - 20:45Can Democracy Survive Ideological Extremes - 33:43LinksLearn more about Dan Slater.Read his article in the Journal of Democracy, "The Authoritarian Origins of the Third Wave."Learn more about the Center for Emerging Democracies.Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.Apes of the State created all MusicEmail comments or questions to [email protected] the show

What happens when the violent state forged under autocracy survives into democracy?Guillermo TrejoIn this episode of The Democracy Paradox, Kellogg faculty fellow Guillermo Trejo discusses his new book, Accountability Shock, coauthored with Lucía Tiscornia and Juan Albarracín. Trejo explains how authoritarian security forces can survive democratic transitions and fuel organized crime, and why truth commissions, prosecutions, and institutional reforms are essential tools for preventing violence and building more durable democracies.The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20What Is the State? - 3:23From Order to Crime - 9:12The Accountability Shock - 19:10Beyond Elections - 37:20LinksLearn more about Guillermo Trejo.Learn more about his book Accountability Shock: Why Transitional Justice Prevents Criminal Wars in New Democracies (Cambridge University Press, 2026)Learn more about the Notre Dame Violence and Transitional Justice Lab.Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.Apes of the State created all MusicEmail comments or questions to [email protected] the show

The left pays a very steep price when they break with democratic norms and procedures.Kenneth RobertsKenneth Roberts is the Richard J. Schwartz Professor of Government at Cornell University. He is the coauthor (with Santiago Anria) of Polarization and Democracy in Latin America: Legacies of the Left Turn.The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20The Origins of the Left Turn - 3:21Polarization and Its Discontents - 13:18The Autocratic Temptation - 21:40Populism and the Left's Democratic Reckoning - 37:24LinksLearn more about Kenneth RobertsRead his book Polarization and Democracy in Latin America: Legacies of the Left TurnLearn more about the Kellogg Institute.Register for the 2026 Global Democracy Conference at the University of Notre Dame.Apes of the State created all MusicEmail comments or questions to [email protected] the show

If democracy wants to regain the upper hand, it has to not only do a better job than the other guys, but in fact, a good job.Sheri BermanThis episode features a conversation with political scientist Sheri Berman on why today’s global "democratic recession" was actually predictable. Drawing from her deep historical research, Berman argues that every democratic wave eventually faces an "undertow," especially when the social and economic foundations of stability begin to fail. From the cautionary lessons of Weimar Germany to the modern rise of partisan "bubbles," this episode explores what we have forgotten about democratic stability and what it will take to secure its future. The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20What We Forgot About Democracy - 3:39The Social Foundations of Democracy - 13:55Inequality, Insecurity, and Policy - 28:16Universities, Cruise Control, and the Purpose of Democracy - 40:55LinksLearn more about Sheri Berman.Read her article "Democracy's Troubles Should Be No Surprise" in the Journal of Democracy.Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.Register for the 2026 Global Democracy Conference at the University of Notre Dame.Apes of the State created all MusicEmail comments or questions to [email protected] the show

Sharp power seeks to exploit the openness of free societies because their institutions are open.Christopher WalkerChristopher Walker, a leading expert on authoritarian influence, returns to the origins of the concept of "sharp power," a term he helped develop to distinguish coercive and manipulative forms of influence from Joseph Nye’s idea of soft power. While soft power relies on attraction and persuasion, Walker explains that sharp power instead works by penetrating democratic institutions, restricting debate, and shaping narratives in ways that undermine openness. The conversation situates this concept within a broader shift in global politics, where expectations of democratic expansion after the Cold War have given way to a more contested and authoritarian-influenced world.The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20The Origins of Sharp Power - 2:51How Sharp Power Works - 11:29Do Democracies Use Sharp Power? 21:15Sharp Power in the Current Geopolitical Moment - 30:32LinksLearn more about Christopher Walker.Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.Register for the 2026 Global Democracy Conference at the University of Notre Dame.Apes of the State created all MusicEmail comments or questions to [email protected] the show

I don't think populism is necessarily a challenge to democracy. I think it's part and parcel of it.Hugo DrochonHugo Drochon joins The Democracy Paradox to explore why elites are an unavoidable part of democracy – and why that may not be a bad thing. Drawing on classical elite theory, he explains how democratic systems depend on the constant circulation of competing elites and why outsider movements, including populism, can play a vital role in keeping democracy responsive. The conversation challenges conventional views by reframing democracy as an ongoing, dynamic struggle rather than a fixed set of institutions.Hugo Drochon is an Associate Professor in Political Theory at the University of Nottingham and the author of a new book titled Elites and Democracy. The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Nobody Wants to be an Elite - 3:52Lions, Foxes, and the Circulation of Elites - 15:34Is Populism a Threat to Democracy? - 31:37The Role of Ordinary Citizens - 41:12LinksLearn more about Hugo Drochon.Learn more about his upcoming book Elites and Democracy (Princeton University Press)Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.Register for the 2026 Global Democracy Conference at the University of Notre Dame.Apes of the State created all MusicEmail comments or questions to [email protected] the show

We are badly mismeasuring whether and how much people care about democracy.Milan SvolikIn this episode of the Democracy Paradox, host Justin Kempf speaks with political scientist Milan Svolik, the Elizabeth S. & A. Varick Stout Professor of Political Science at Yale University and author of The Politics of Authoritarian Rule. Their conversation explores one of the central puzzles in contemporary democracy: why citizens who say they strongly support democracy sometimes vote for politicians who undermine it. Drawing on Svolik’s experimental research, the discussion examines how traditional survey questions often overestimate democratic commitment and why understanding voters’ real trade-offs offers a more accurate picture.The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Measuring What Voters Really Believe - 3:33Militant Democracy and the Risks of Overcorrection - 16:51The Left, the Right, and Who Defends Democracy - 37:18The Voter as Democracy's Last Gatekeeper - 52:13LinksLearn more about Milan Svolik.Learn more about his book The Politics of Authoritarian Rule (Cambridge University Press)Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.Register for the 2026 Global Democracy Conference at the University of Notre Dame.Apes of the State created all MusicEmail questions or comments to [email protected] the show

The paradox of dictatorship is that dictatorships do well when they do not have a genuine dictator.Minxin PeiIn this episode of Democracy Paradox, Justin Kempf speaks with China scholar Minxin Pei about his book The Broken China Dream: How Reform Revived Totalitarianism and his argument that China under Xi Jinping has shifted from authoritarianism back toward totalitarianism. They explore the missed opportunities for political reform in the 1980s, the party’s post-Tiananmen survival strategy, and how Xi consolidated power through purges, ideological revival, and expanded social control. The conversation also reflects on what China’s trajectory reveals about the strengths – and fragility – of democracy itself.The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20China's Missed Opening - 4:22The Return of Control - 21:03The Making of a Strongman 38:16Lessons for Democracy - 50:41LinksLearn more about Minxin Pei.Learn more about his new book The Broken China Dream: How Reform Revived Totalitarianism.Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.Register for the Global Democracy ConferenceApes of the State created all MusicSupport the show

 Traditional programmatic parties serve as a critical guardrail for democracy. Erica FrantzIn this episode, Justin Kempf speaks with Erica Frantz about her book The Origins of Elected Strongmen and the rise of personalist leaders in democracies. Frantz explains how leader-dominated political parties – more than populist rhetoric alone – can erode democratic institutions from within, drawing on cases from El Salvador to France. The conversation explores why voters support such leaders and what this trend means for the future of democracy worldwide.The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Personalism Defined - 2:50Personalism's Appeal - 14:19Threat to Democracy - 19:38Pushing the Boundaries of the Theory - 33:13LinksLearn more about Erica Frantz.Learn more about her coauthored book The Origins of Elected Strongmen: How Personalist Parties Destroy Democracy from Within.Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.Register for the Global Democracy ConferenceApes of the State created all MusicSupport the show

By dismantling certain capacities today, you're making the democratic choices of tomorrow harder.Javier Pérez SandovalIn this episode, Javier Pérez Sandoval discusses his Journal of Democracy essay, coauthored with Andrés Mejía Acosta, on why populist leaders often “hollow out” the state. Moving beyond familiar debates about executive aggrandizement and democratic backsliding, Pérez Sandoval argues that democracy depends on the state’s capacity to deliver essential public goods – from health and education to security, justice, and credible elections. Drawing on examples from Mexico and Argentina, he explains how both left- and right-wing populists may weaken institutions through austerity, politicization, and institutional restructuring, often prioritizing short-term political gains over long-term democratic resilience. The conversation explores how state erosion can constrain future democratic choices, undermine public trust, and create a vicious cycle that leaves democracy structurally weakened from within.The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Reducing State Capacity - 3:47Core Functions of the State - 12:23Is Reducing State Capacity Antidemocratic? 21:13Does the Public Want to Hollow Out the State? 33:31LinksLearn more about Javier Pérez Sandoval.Read the Journal of Democracy essay “Why Populists Hollow Out Their States.”Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.Apes of the State created all MusicSupport the show

The group of people who have an interest in defending liberal democracy might be broader than many academics, and maybe even liberals, would have shown.Kate BaldwinThis episode features Yale political scientist Kate Baldwin in a conversation about her book Faith in Democracy, which challenges the assumption that religion is inherently hostile to democratic governance. Drawing on research from sub-Saharan Africa, Baldwin explains how Christian churches have often emerged as defenders of liberal democracy – not because of ideological commitments, but because democratic institutions protect church autonomy and social service work from state overreach. The conversation explores when and why churches mobilize against democratic backsliding, how institutional incentives shape political behavior, and what this reveals about the broader coalition of actors invested in sustaining democracy.The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Why Churches Defend Democracy - 3:20Role of Education - 14:09Why Churches Choose Autocracy - 20:09Leadership - 27:00LinksLearn more about Kate Baldwin.Learn more about her book Faith in Democracy: The Logic of Church Advocacy for Liberal Democratic Institutions in Africa.Check out "Democracy's Devout Defenders" in the Journal of Democracy.Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.Apes of the State created all MusicSupport the show

You can take a cognitive bias so far down the road that you can live in an objectively very clear dictatorship and sit there and say, 'I live in a democracy.'Natalie Wenzell LetsaIn this episode of The Democracy Paradox, host Justin Kempf speaks with political scientist Natalie Wenzell Letsa about why some voters genuinely support ruling parties in electoral autocracies. Drawing on her book The Autocratic Voter and fieldwork in Cameroon, Letsa explains how partisan identities form under dictatorship and what these dynamics reveal about democracy, polarization, and political behavior more broadly.The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20What is an Electoral Autocracy - 3:20Voters in an Autocracy - 12:55Opposition in an Autocracy - 21:04Parallels to Democracies - 30:31LinksLearn more about Natalie Wenzell Letsa.Learn more about her book The Autocratic Voter: Partisanship and Political Socialization Under Dictatorship.Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.Apes of the State created all MusicSupport the show

The heart of ungoverning is going after expertise - eradicating expertise - and replacing it with the power of the great ruler.Russ MuirheadRussell Muirhead is the Robert Clements Professor of Democracy and Politics and the co-director of the Political Economy Project at Dartmouth University. He's also the co-author, with Nancy Rosenblum, of Ungoverning: The Attack on the Administrative State and the Politics of Chaos. Patrick McQuestion joins to help introduce the episode. Patrick is a  PhD student in his fourth year at the University of Notre Dame studying political science and peace studies, and also the co-host of the Global Stage Podcast. The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20What is Ungoverning? 9:00The Fourth Branch - 32:29Other Examples of Ungoverning 36:28Ungoverning and Democracy - 46:59Links:Learn more about Russell MuirheadLearn more about his book Ungoverning: The Attack on the Administrative State and the Politics of ChaosLearn more about Patrick McQuestionLearn more about the Kellogg Institute.Apes of the State created all MusicSupport the show

Decreasing incumbent capacity and affective polarization are making incumbency salient, but also more of a curse than a blessing.Luis SchiumeriniIn this episode of The Democracy Paradox, host Justin Kempf speaks with Notre Dame political scientist Luis Schiumerini about his new book Incumbency Bias: Why Political Office is a Blessing and a Curse in Latin America. Schiumerini challenges common assumptions about incumbents, demonstrating that holding office can create systematic advantages – or disadvantages – depending on the institutional context. Before the conversation begins, Kellogg Doctoral Student Affiliate Tomás Gianibelli joins Kempf to share his experience working with Schiumerini and to explain why this research reshapes how scholars think about democracy. The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20What is Incumbency Bias - 6:06Incumbency Disadvantage on the Rise - 23:58Term Limits - 31:39Implications for Democracy - 36:52Links:Learn more about Luis SchiumeriniLearn more about his book Incumbency Bias: Why Political Office is a Blessing and a Curse in Latin AmericaLearn more about Tomás GianibelliLearn more about the Kellogg Institute.Support the show

The biggest disappointment is that democracies do not reduce social and economic inequality.Adam PrzeworskiIn this episode, host Justin Kempf talks with political scientist Adam Przeworski about what truly defines democracy today. Przeworski explains why he sees no global democratic crisis, defends a minimalist view centered on free and fair elections, and reflects on why democracies struggle to reduce inequality. He also discusses why citizens sometimes tolerate democratic erosion and how modern autocracies maintain support, offering a clear and concise perspective on democracy’s strengths and limits. Alejandro González Ruiz, cohost of the Kellogg Institute's Global Stage podcast, joins to help introduce the episode.The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Minimal Democracy and Democratic Crisis - 9:44Economic Inequality and Democracy - 22:37Autocracy and Popular Support - 31:42Democratic Backsliding - 36:09LinksLearn more about Adam Przeworski.Learn more about his book Crises of Democracy (Cambridge University Press, 2019).Learn more about Alejandro González Ruiz.Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.Apes of the State created all MusicSupport the show

For democratic revolutions to survive counterrevolution, they have to make certain choices that can undermine the quality of their democracy.Killian ClarkePolitical scientist Killian Clarke joins The Democracy Paradox to discuss his new book, Return of Tyranny: Why Counterrevolutions Emerge and Succeed. He explains why democratic revolutions are especially vulnerable to reversal, how elites and citizens can align in counterrevolutionary movements, and what these dynamics reveal about democracy’s fragility and endurance today. Amanda Waterhouse, a postdoctoral democracy researcher at the Kellogg Institute also joins to help introduce the episode.The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Counterrevolutions as Mass Movements - 9:59Prevalence and Success of Counterrevolution - 19:08Is Counterrevolution Always Bad? - 33:22Why Some Revolutionaries Join the Counterrevolution - 41:12LinksLearn more about Amanda Waterhouse.Learn more about Killian Clarke.Learn more about Clarke's book Return of Tyranny: Why Counterrevolutions Emerge and Succeed (Cambridge University Press, 2025)Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.Apes of the State created all MusicSupport the show

The regime question at its core is about how we should govern ourselves... This is an enduring question that is essential to democratic politics.Amel AhmedThis episode begins with host Justin Kempf and Javier Pérez Sandoval setting the stage for a deep dive into the “regime question,” highlighting its significance in democratic theory and contemporary politics. Their introductory discussion explores foundational divides in political systems and frames the questions that will be pursued, particularly the tensions between institutional arrangements and party cleavages. The heart of the episode follows as Kempf interviews Amel Ahmed, who draws on her comparative research to examine historical battles over parliamentary power, suffrage, and executive authority in the United Kingdom, United States, and Germany. Ahmed connects these cases to present-day concerns about legislative dysfunction and polarization, demonstrating that ongoing contestation over the rules of democracy is both persistent and essential to democratic governance.The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Amel Ahmed is an assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the author of the book The Regime Question: Foundations of Democratic Governance in Europe and the United States. Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20What is the Regime Question - 8:42Electoral Authoritarianism - 25:05Resolving the Regime Question - 36:03Implications for Democracy - 44:47LinksLearn more about Javier Pérez SandovalLearn more about Amel AhmedLearn more about her book, The Regime Question: Foundations of Democratic Governance in Europe and the United StatesLearn more about the Kellogg InstituteSupport the show

After an introductory conversation with Kellogg Faculty Fellow Marc Jacob, Democracy Paradox host Justin Kempf explores the dynamics of global democracy with renowned expert Thomas Carothers. Carothers, the director of the Carnegie Endowment's Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program, shares his deep knowledge and firsthand experiences in democracy promotion, focusing on the importance of coalition-building, inclusive leadership, and long-term commitment in sustaining democratic movements. Drawing from case studies in Latin America, particularly Chile and Brazil, he provides thoughtful reflections on the challenges and successes of political activism. This conversation offers insights for scholars, policymakers, and activists dedicated to advancing resilient democratic institutions worldwide. The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Read the full transcript here.Tom Carothers is the Director of the Democracy Conflict and Governance Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He's the author of numerous books and articles. Some of his most recent articles and reports include “Misunderstanding Democratic Backsliding,” “Lessons about Backsliding and Resistance,” and “Understanding and Responding to Global Democratic Backsliding.” ChaptersIntroduction with Marc Jacob - 0:20Explanations for Backsliding - 8:40Role of Institutions - 24:28Polarization - 37:31Democratic Hardball - 39:24Links:Learn more about Marc Jacob.Learn more about Thomas Carothers.Learn more about the Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.Support the show

Javier Corrales, professor of political science at Amherst College, discusses his recent research on democratic backsliding and intentional polarization. The discussion explores how leaders employ extremist policies and ideological rhetoric to consolidate executive power, drawing comparisons between Venezuela, the United States, and other global contexts. An introductory conversation with Kellogg Visiting Fellow Henry Moncrieff offers a nuanced look at opposition strategies and the complex factors shaping democratic resilience and decline.Read the transcript here. The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute of the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Javier Corrales is Dwight W. Morrow 1895 professor of Political Science at Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts. He is the author of the book Autocracy Rising: How Venezuela Transitioned to Authoritarianism as well as numerous scholarly articles. His most recent article (coauthored with Ricardo José Salas Díaz) is "Intentional Polarization: How Policy Extremism and Ideological Overuse Promote Democratic Backsliding" published in Democratization. ChaptersIntroduction with Henry Moncrieff 0:20Leaders Drive Polarization 5:48Radicalization 15:43Opposition Response 26:32Role of the Public - 37:29Learn more about Javier Corrales.Learn more about Henry Moncrieff.Learn more about the Kellogg Institute.Support the show

In this episode, Justin interviews Susan Stokes, the  Tiffany and Margaret Blake Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago and Director of the Chicago Center on Democracy.  They discuss her new book The Backsliders, which explains how economic inequality and political polarization create conditions that allow leaders to undermine democratic institutions. She explores the roles of populism, voter behavior, and institutional erosion in democratic backsliding worldwide.Read the transcript here.The Democracy Paradox is made in partnership with the Kellogg Institute at the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. ChaptersIntroduction - 0:20Leadership  - 3:51Economic Inequality - 6:35Polarization - 19:35Populism - 27:27Key LinksLearn more about Susan Stokes.Backsliders: Why Leaders Undermine their Own DemocraciesVictoria Murillo - The Social Underpinnings of Political Discontent in Latin America - September 23rd, 12:30pm - 2:00pm Central Time. If you can't make it, click here to watch the video!Check out this year's visiting fellows to the Kellogg Institute here.Support the show

We've often compared democratic national security and autocratic security making in terms of autocratic elites and democratic voters. My argument is not that all democracies are the same, but I do think we ought to be thinking about autocratic elites and democratic elites and voters.Elizabeth SaundersProudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduProudly sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.orgA full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Elizabeth Saunders is a Professor of Political Science at Columbia University as well as a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. She is also an editor of The Good Authority Blog formerly known as The Monkey Cage Blog. Her most recent book is The Insiders’ Game: How Elites Make War and Peace.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20How Foreign Policy Works - 3:30Politics at the Water's Edge - 18:13Parties and Foreign Policy - 27:09Contemporary Politics - 41:28Key LinksThe Insiders’ Game: How Elites Make War and Peace by Elizabeth SaundersGood Authority BlogLearn more about Elizabeth SaundersDemocracy Paradox PodcastRep Mikie Sherrill on Whether the Bipartisan Consensus on Foreign Policy Will Hold and on Threats to American DemocracyGrading Biden’s Foreign Policy with Alexander WardMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

I think we've seen democracies can be unstable. Autocracies are even more unstable.David MossMade in partnership with the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and InnovationGet your copy of When Democracy Breaks or read it open access.Access Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduProudly sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.orgA full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Archon Fung is the Winthrop Laflin McCormack Professor of Citizenship and Self-Government at the Harvard Kennedy School. He is also the Director of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation.David Moss is the Paul Whiton Cherington Professor at Harvard Business School. He is also founder and president of the Tobin Project and the Case Method Institute for Education and Democracy.Arne Westad is the Elihu Professor of History and Global Affairs at Yale University.They are the editors of When Democracy Breaks: Studies in Democratic Erosion and Collapse, From Ancient Athens to the Present Day.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Thinking about Democratic Breakdown - 3:51What is Democracy - 19:26Democratic Recovery - 26:36Resilience and Fragility - 45:15Key LinksWhen Democracy Breaks: Studies in Democratic Erosion and Collapse, From Ancient Athens to the Present Day edited by Archon Fung, David Moss, and Odd Arne Westad"Introduction: When Democracy Breaks" by Archon Fung, David Moss, and Odd Arne WestadAsh Center for Democratic Governance and InnovationDemocracy Paradox PodcastWhen Democracy Breaks: Scott Mainwaring on ArgentinaWhen Democracy Breaks: 1930s Japan with Louise YoungMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

March 24th, 1976 is the coup and it unleashes wild celebrations in establishment Argentina and almost no opposition.... Of course, this unleashed the most ruthless dictatorship in Argentina's history and in recent South American history as well.Scott MainwaringMade in partnership with the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and InnovationGet your copy of When Democracy Breaks or read it open access.Access Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduProudly sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.orgA full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Scott Mainwaring is the Eugene and Helen Conley Professor of Political Science at Notre Dame. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2010. His most recent book is Democracy in Hard Places (coedited with Tarek Masoud). In April 2019, PS: Political Science and Politics listed him as one of the 50 most cited political scientists in the world.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Democratization in 1973 - 3:41Democratic Erosion - 18:30Breakdown - 39:08Argentina Today - 43:18Key LinksWhen Democracy Breaks: Studies in Democratic Erosion and Collapse, From Ancient Athens to the Present Day edited by Archon Fung, David Moss, and Odd Arne Westad"Democratic Breakdown in Argentina, 1976" by Scott MainwaringAsh Center for Democratic Governance and InnovationDemocracy Paradox PodcastScott Mainwaring on Argentina and a Final Reflection on Democracy in Hard PlacesWhen Democracy Breaks: 1930s Japan with Louise YoungMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

There's a fog of democratic breakdown where really you cannot see the actual impact of your choices or your actions until after the fact.Louise YoungMade in partnership with the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and InnovationGet your copy of When Democracy Breaks or read it open access.Access Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduProudly sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.orgA full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Louise Young is a professor of history at the University of Wisonsin-Madison. She is the author of the chapter “The Breakdown of Democracy in 1930s Japan.” It is part of the volume When Democracy Breaks: Studies in Democratic Erosion and Collapse, From Ancient Athens to the Present Day.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Democratization - 2:52What Made it Different - 11:41Democratic Breakdown - 20:14Resisting Democratic Erosion - 37:15Key LinksWhen Democracy Breaks: Studies in Democratic Erosion and Collapse, From Ancient Athens to the Present Day edited by Archon Fung, David Moss, and Odd Arne Westad"The Breakdown in Democracy in 1930s Japan" by Louise YoungAsh Center for Democratic Governance and InnovationDemocracy Paradox PodcastWhen Democracy Breaks: Ancient Athens with Josiah Ober and Federica CarugatiDan Slater on IndonesiaMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

What strikes me about that period is that democracy was not inevitable.Federica CarugatiMade in partnership with the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and InnovationGet your copy of When Democracy Breaks or read it open access.Access Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduProudly sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.orgA full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Josiah Ober is a Professor of Political Science and Classics at Stanford University. Federica Carugati is a Lecturer in History and Political Economy at King's College London. They are the coauthors of the chapter “Democratic Collapse and Recovery in Ancient Athens (413-403 BCE)” in a new book called When Democracy Breaks: Studies in Democratic Erosion and Collapse, From Ancient Athens to the Present Day.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Democratization - 3:28Breakdown - 17:36Rebirth - 36:48Final Lessons - 47:51Key LinksWhen Democracy Breaks: Studies in Democratic Erosion and Collapse, From Ancient Athens to the Present Day edited by Archon Fung, David Moss, and Odd Arne Westad"Democratic Collapse and Recovery in Ancient Athens (413-403 BCE)" by Federica Carugati and Josiah OberAsh Center for Democratic Governance and InnovationDemocracy Paradox PodcastDoes Democracy Rely on a Civic Bargain? Josiah Ober Makes the CaseDavid Stasavage on Early Democracy and its DeclineMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

I think that if you got rid of the Electoral College, in the short run, there would be losers. But it hasn't always been the same group and it hasn't always been the same party.Alexander KeyssarMade in partnership with the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and InnovationMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduProudly sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.orgA full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Alexander Keyssar is the Matthew W. Stirling Jr. Professor of History and Social Policy at Harvard University and the author of the book Why Do We Still Have the Electoral College?Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Origin of the Electoral College - 3:05Proportional or District Electoral Votes - 17:37Race and Civil Rights - 27:02Why No Reform - 41:44Key LinksWhy Do We Still Have the Electoral College? by Alexander KeyssarWatch Electoral College Symposium: What’s to be Done?Follow Alexander Keyssar on X @AlexKeyssarDemocracy Paradox PodcastHeather Cox Richardson on History, Conservatism, and the Awakening of American DemocracyDaniel Ziblatt on American Democracy, the Republican Party, and the Tyranny of the MinorityMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

You actually have to fight in every generation, if you want to preserve liberalism. It's not just going to preserve itself. It's not just the end of history. It isn't just the final resting place of humanity - not by any stretch of the imagination. It's a continual struggle.Robert KaganAccess Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduProudly sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.orgA full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Robert Kagan is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a columnist for The Washington Post. He is the author of many books including most recently The Ghost at the Feast: America and the Collapse of World Order, 1900-1941 and Rebellion: How Antiliberalism Is Tearing America Apart--Again.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Traditions of Liberalism and Antiliberalism - 3:04Antiliberalism as an Idea - 8:35Tension Within Ourselves - 21:25Future of Liberalism and Antiliberalism - 37:42Key LinksRebellion: How Antiliberalism Is Tearing America Apart--Again by Robert KaganThe Ghost at the Feast: America and the Collapse of World Order, 1900-1941 by Robert KaganFollow Robert Kagan at the Brookings InstitutionDemocracy Paradox PodcastRobert Kagan Looks to American History to Explain Foreign Policy TodayHeather Cox Richardson on History, Conservatism, and the Awakening of American DemocracyMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

People in Congress are leaders in their communities and people in some parts of this country are, in my opinion, being led astray.Rep. Mikie SherrillThis episode was made in partnership with the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of DemocracyAccess Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduProudly sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.orgA full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Representative Mikie Sherrill represents the 11th Congressional District of New Jersey. She sits on the Committee on Armed Services, Subcommittee on Readiness, Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, and the Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from the United States Naval Academy, a Master’s degree in Global History from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a Law degree from Georgetown University.  She is a military veteran with almost ten years of active duty service.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Personal Background - 3:48Polarization and Foreign Policy - 13:50China - 23:36American Democracy - 28:41Key LinksLearn more about Rep. Mikie Sherrill on her Congressional pageFollow Rep. Mikie Sherrill on X @RepSherrill or @MikieSherrillRep. Mikie Sherrill's Campaign PageDemocracy Paradox PodcastGrading Biden’s Foreign Policy with Alexander WardCan America Fight Back Against the Authoritarian Economic Statecraft of China? Bethany Allen Believes We CanMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

What does it mean to empower women politically in a context in which the dominant party is engaged in democratic backsliding or other forms of illiberal and exclusionary politics? Would you still want more women to be part of that party?Saskia BrechenmacherAccess Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduMade in partnership with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.orgA full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Saskia Brechenmacher is a fellow in Carnegie’s Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program. Recently, she coauthored a new book with Katherine Mann called Aiding Empowerment: Democracy Promotion and Gender Equality in Politics.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Democracy Promotion and Gender Equality - 3:13Gender Quotas - 12:38Challenges - 28:12New Ideas and Issues - 44:53Key LinksAiding Empowerment: Democracy Promotion and Gender Equality in Politics by Saskia Brechenmacher and Katherine MannLearn more about Saskia Brechenmacher at the Carnegie EndowmentFollow Saskia Brechenmacher on X @SaskiaBrechDemocracy Paradox PodcastMarc Plattner Has Quite a Bit to Say About DemocracyLarry Diamond on Supporting Democracy in the World and at HomeMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

We have to reconstruct the foundations of our democracy, building on the past, not repudiating everything we're building on it.Bruce AckermanAccess Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduSponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.orgA full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Bruce Ackerman is the Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale. He is well known as a legal scholar and a political philosopher. His most recent book is The Postmodern Predicament: Existential Challenges of the Twenty-First Century.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Modernity - 2:37Postmodernism - 15:26Deliberation Day - 36:08Rethinking Modernity - 43:28Key LinksThe Postmodern Predicament: Existential Challenges of the Twenty-First Century by Bruce AckermanLearn more about Bruce Ackerman on WikipediaFollow Bruce Ackerman on X @backermanyaleDemocracy Paradox PodcastYascha Mounk Warns Against a Misguided New IdeologyZizi Papacharissi Dreams of What Comes After DemocracyMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

We thought we were strengthening the militaries in the Cold War. In fact, the political effects of those strengthened militaries ended up leading to a longer-term deterioration and instability.Adam CaseyAccess Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduSponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.orgA full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Adam E. Casey is an analyst in the United States government. He wrote Up in Arms: How Military Aid Stabilizes―and Destabilizes―Foreign Autocrats while he was a research fellow at the Weiser Center for Emerging Democracies at the University of Michigan. All the content in the book and this interview reflects the views of the author and does not reflect the position of any US government agency or department, nor does it assert or imply US government authentication of information or endorsement of the author's views.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Why Military Aid Destabilizes Some Autocrats - 4:23The Soviet Approach to Military Aid - 21:50Revolutionary Governments - 29:09Modernization - 35:57Key LinksUp in Arms: How Military Aid Stabilizes―and Destabilizes―Foreign Autocrats by Adam Casey"The Origins of Military Supremacy in Dictatorships," by Dan Slater Lucan A. Way Jean Lachapelle and Adam E. Casey in Journal of Democracy.Follow Adam Casey on X @adam_e_caseyDemocracy Paradox PodcastAfter a Coup, Can the Constitutional Order Be Repaired? Adem Abebe on Rebuilding Constitutions in West AfricaNaunihal Singh on the Myth of the Coup ContagionMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

We have to care more about truth than tribe. We have to care more about each other than about profit.Barbara McQuadeThis episode was made in partnership with the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of DemocracyAccess Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduSponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.orgA full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Barbara McQuade is a professor from practice at the University of Michigan Law School. She is also a legal analyst for NBC News and MSNBC, and a co-host of the podcast #SistersInLaw. Her new book Attack from Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Propaganda Today - 3:05Disinformation and Polarization - 19:57Free Speech - 24:29Attack from Within - 37:14Key LinksAttack from Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America by Barbara McQuadeLearn more about Barbara McQuadeFollow Barbara McQuade on X @BarbMcQuadeDemocracy Paradox PodcastPeter Pomerantsev on Winning an Information WarSamuel Woolley on Bots, Artificial Intelligence, and Digital PropagandaMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

Whoever you vote for, Biden or Trump at this point, you are voting for a radically different vision of American foreign policy.Alexander WardAccess Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduSponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.orgA full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Alexander Ward is a national security reporter at Politico and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He is also the author of the book The Internationalists: The Fight to Restore American Foreign Policy after Trump.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20A Foreign Policy for the Middle Class - 2:47Crises - 20:13Ukraine - 27:56The Grade - 40:32Key LinksThe Internationalists: The Fight to Restore American Foreign Policy after Trump by Alexander WardLearn more about Alexander WardFollow Alexander Ward on X @alexbwardDemocracy Paradox PodcastCan America Fight Back Against the Authoritarian Economic Statecraft of China? Bethany Allen Believes We CanLarry Diamond on Supporting Democracy in the World and at HomeMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

All this stuff about half of America just won't listen to this. You're just not trying. You're just not trying. I fear in America people don't try to reach people in echo chambers.Peter PomerantsevAccess Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduSponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.orgA full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Peter Pomerantsev is a Senior Fellow at Johns Hopkins University where he co-directs the Arena Initiative. His past books include Nothing is True and Everything is Possible and This is Not Propaganda. His most recent book is called How to Win an Information War: The Propagandist Who Outwitted Hitler.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Sefton Delmer - 3:37Der Chef - 11:34Communication and Propaganda - 25:27Winning an Information War - 37:45Key LinksHow to Win an Information War: The Propagandist Who Outwitted Hitler by Peter PomerantsevThis Is Not Propaganda: Adventures in the War Against Reality by Peter PomerantsevFollow Peter Pomerantsev on X @peterpomeranzevDemocracy Paradox PodcastSamuel Woolley on Bots, Artificial Intelligence, and Digital PropagandaAllie Funk of Freedom House Assesses Global Internet FreedomMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

Without an elected government, without a government that truly represents... a lot of things are imperiled - rights, democracy, freedom, certainly peace. I think that's another kind of challenge as we go into this year of widespread elections. It's not just about preserving democracy. It's also laying the foundation for peace.Yana GorokhovskaiaAccess Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduSponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Learn more at https://carnegieendowment.orgA full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Yana Gorokhovskaia is the Research Director at Freedom House and one of the lead authors of this year’s Freedom in the World report titled, The Mounting Damage of Flawed Elections and Armed Conflict.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Nagorno-Karabakh - 2:15Gaza and Israel - 7:46Freedom in Decline - 13:18Autocratic Elections - 35:43Key LinksFreedom in the World 2024: The Mounting Damage of Flawed Elections and Armed ConflictFreedom on the Net 2023: The Repressive Power of Artificial IntelligenceFollow Freedom House on X @freedomhouseDemocracy Paradox PodcastStaffan Lindberg with a Report on Democracy in the WorldSarah Repucci from Freedom House with an Update on Freedom in the WorldMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

As a writer I had the space to try to humanize him without sanitizing him. That was my mission: to try to see the world from behind his eyes in order to explain his otherwise inexplicable behavior.Steve CollAccess Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduRead Justin Kempf's essay "The Revolution Will Be Podcasted."A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Steve Coll is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who has served as President and CEO of New America and the Dean of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He is currently a staff writer at The New Yorker. His most recent book is The Achilles’ Trap: Saddam Hussein, the CIA, and the Origins of America’s Invasion of Iraq.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Saddam Hussein - 2:56Iran-Iraq War - 10:22WMD - 27:062003 American Invasion - 46:03Key LinksThe Achilles’ Trap: Saddam Hussein, the CIA, and the Origins of America’s Invasion of Iraq by Steve Coll“How Iraq was Lost” by Robert Kaplan in The New Statesman (Book Review of The Achilles' Trap)Read more from Steve Coll at The New YorkerDemocracy Paradox PodcastRobert Kaplan on the Politics of the Past and Future of the Greater Middle EastSteven Simon on American Foreign Policy in the Middle East including Iran and the Wars in IraqMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

Written into the DNA of American immigration policy, which we tend to regard as a kind of domestic policy - and which in many ways it is - has to do with US foreign policy.Jonathan BlitzerThis episode was made in partnership with the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy.Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduAccess Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.Read Justin Kempf's essay "The Revolution Will Be Podcasted."A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Jonathan Blitzer is a staff writer at The New Yorker. He won a 2017 National Award for Education Reporting for “American Studies,” a story about an underground school for undocumented immigrants. His writing and reporting have also appeared in the New York Times, The Atlantic, The Atavist, Oxford American, and The Nation. He is an Emerson Fellow at New America. His most recent book is Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Personal Experiences - 3:12Immigration and Foreign Policy - 12:25Migration as a Crisis - 31:20Bukele and El Salvador Today - 46:26Key LinksEveryone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis by Jonathan Blitzer“Do I Have to Come Here Injured or Dead?” by Jonathan Blitzer in The New YorkerFollow Jonathan Blitzer on X @JonathanBlitzerDemocracy Paradox PodcastRachel Schwartz on How Guatemala Rose Up Against Democratic BackslidingJoseph Wright and Abel Escribà-Folch on Migration’s Potential to Topple DictatorshipsMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

I think a powerful surveillance apparatus will continue to be a major obstacle to the development of democratic forces, but it will not be the decisive factor.Minxin PeiProudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduAccess Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.Read Justin Kempf's essay "The Revolution Will Be Podcasted."A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Minxin Pei is the Tom and Margot Pritzker ’72 Professor of Government and George R. Roberts Fellow at Claremont McKenna College. His most recent book is The Sentinel State: Surveillance and the Survival of Dictatorship in China.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20What is a Surveillance State - 2:55Informants - 12:02History - 23:43Surveillance and Elites - 35:26Key LinksThe Sentinel State: Surveillance and the Survival of Dictatorship in China by Minxin Pei"Why China Can’t Export Its Model of Surveillance" by Minxin Pei in Foreign Affairs"Totalitarianism’s Long Shadow" by Minxin Pei in Journal of DemocracyDemocracy Paradox PodcastJosh Chin on China’s Surveillance StateDeng Xiaoping is Not Who You Think He is. Joseph Torigian on Leadership Transitions in China and the Soviet UnionMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

As democracy promoters, we also need to pay a lot of attention to the material needs of people... When these material needs are not satisfied, people will be more willing to give nondemocratic forms a chance.Adem AbebeThis episode was made in partnership with the Constitution Building Programme at International IDEAAccess Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduRead Justin Kempf's essay "The Revolution Will Be Podcasted."A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Adem Abebe is a senior advisor on constitution-building processes at International IDEA. He supports transitions from conflict and authoritarianism to peace and democracy, generates cutting edge knowledge, convenes platforms for dialogue and advocates for change. Adem is also Vice President of the African Network of Constitutional Lawyers, which promotes democratic constitutionalism across the continent.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Why Military Coups Happen - 4:05Holding Back Political Institutions - 19:23Restoring Constitutional Order - 34:31The Role of Constitutions - 48:54Key LinksFollow Adem Abebe on X @AdamAbebeLearn more about International IDEALearn about the Constitution-Building Programme at International IDEA at Constitutionnet.org Democracy Paradox PodcastCan Poland Repair its Constitutional Democracy? Tomás Daly Believes it CanMarcela Rios Tobar on the Failed Constitutional Process in ChileMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

Poland will be showing us the endless ingenuity of constitutional thinkers who are genuinely committed to democracy in its many forms.Tomás DalyThis episode was made in partnership with the Constitution Building Programme at International IDEAAccess Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduRead Justin Kempf's essay "The Revolution Will Be Podcasted."A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Tomás Daly is a Professor at Melbourne Law School and Director of the Democratic Decay & Renewal (DEM-DEC) platform at www.democratic-decay.org. His new project on ‘constitutional repair’ addresses a pressing question: how can a democracy be repaired after being deeply degraded, but not ended, during a period of anti-democratic government?Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20What is Constitutional Repair? - 3:48Poland and its Constitutional Damage - 7:36Constitutional Repair in Poland - 20:06Avoiding Democratic Backsliding - 40:12Key LinksConstitutional Repair: A Comparative Theory by Tomás DalyFollow Tomás Daly on X @democracytalkLearn more about International IDEALearn about the Constitution-Building Programme at International IDEA at Constitutionnet.org Democracy Paradox PodcastKurt Weyland on the Resilience of DemocracyHow Can Democracy Survive in an Age of Discontent? Rachel Navarre and Matthew Rhodes-Purdy on Populism and Political ExtremismMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

I think his heart is in the right place. I've talked to him about these things. He's very sensitive to the judgment of history. He knows that. Ukraine has been fighting since long before he became president to be an independent sovereign democracy with freedom of speech.Simon ShusterProudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduAccess Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Read Justin Kempf's essay "The Revolution Will Be Podcasted."Simon Shuster is a staff writer for Time magazine who covers politics in Ukraine and Russia. His new book is called The Showman: Inside the Invasion That Shook the World and Made a Leader of Volodymyr Zelensky.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20The Early Zelensky - 3:30Wartime President - 19:16Politics in Wartime Ukraine - 33:59Democracy in Ukraine - 36:18Key LinksThe Showman: Inside the Invasion that Shook the World and Made a Leader of Volodymyr Zelensky by Simon Shuster"Where Zelensky Comes From" by Simon Shuster in TimeFollow Simon Shuster on X @shustryDemocracy Paradox PodcastSerhii Plokhy on the Russo-Ukrainian WarOlga Onuch and Henry Hale Describe the Zelensky EffectMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

When politics has to solve the problems that it has caused, how can politics do that?Marcela Rios TobarThis episode was made in partnership with the Constitution Building Programme at International IDEA Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduAccess Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Marcela Rios Tobar is the Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at International IDEA. From March 2022 until January 2023 she served as the Minister of Justice and Human Rights in Chile under Gabriel Boric.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:20Background - 3:40The Draft Constitutions - 18:04Lost Opportunity? 35:11Exceptional or Harbinger - 46:55Key LinksLearn more about International IDEALearn about the Constitution-Building Programme at International IDEA at Constitutionnet.org Read more about Chile's constitutional journeyDemocracy Paradox PodcastJennifer Piscopo on the Constitutional Chaos in ChileAldo Madariaga on Neoliberalism, Democratic Deficits, and ChileMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

Populist leaders want polarization. They start polarization. They confront. Kurt WeylandProudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.eduAccess Episodes Ad-Free on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Kurt Weyland is the Mike Hogg Professor in Liberal Arts. He has written many books. His most recent is Democracy's Resilience to Populism's Threat: Countering Global Alarmism. He has also authored the article "Why Democracy Survives Populism" in the Journal of Democracy.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:45Democratic Breakdown in Peru - 2:56The Populist Threat - 18:46Institutional Strength - 25:19Countering Global Alarmism - 46:19Key Links"Why Democracy Survives Populism" by Kurt Weyland in Journal of DemocracyDemocracy's Resilience to Populism's Threat: Countering Global Alarmism by Kurt WeylandAssault on Democracy: Communism, Fascism, and Authoritarianism During the Interwar Years by Kurt WeylandDemocracy Paradox PodcastKurt Weyland Distinguishes Between Fascism and AuthoritarianismJason Brownlee Believes We Underestimate Democratic ResilienceMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

That's the point here. It's not there yet. But if electorally the BJP keeps winning, this is a prospect that must be faced.Ashutosh VarshneyProudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at https://kellogg.nd.edu Listen ad-free for just a $5/month on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Ashutosh Varshney is the Sol Goldman Professor of International Studies and the Social Sciences at Brown University. He is the author of many books and papers on India and its politics. His most recent article (coauthored with Connor Staggs), published in Journal of Democracy, is "Hindu Nationalism and the New Jim Crow."Key HighlightsIntroduction - 1:31Hindu Nationalism - 3:48Jim Crow and India - 12:08Vigilantism - 23:53Solutions - 34:46Key Links"Hindu Nationalism and the New Jim Crow" by Ashutosh Varshney and Connor Staggs in Journal of Democracy"India’s Democracy at 70: Growth, Inequality, and Nationalism" by Ashutosh Varshney in Journal of DemocracyFollow Ashutosh Varshney on X @ProfVarshneyDemocracy Paradox PodcastAshutosh Varshney on India. Democracy in Hard PlacesIs India Still a Democracy? Rahul Verma Emphatically Says YesMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

What we really need to do is recommit to the idea that this is difficult, it is valuable, and in order to keep this valuable, difficult thing going, we need to basically pay the cost of educating ourselves, educating the next generation, the background knowledge and skills that citizens need if they are to continue to govern themselves...Josiah OberSupport the podcast on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Josiah Ober is a Professor of Classics and Political Science at Stanford University and a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. He is the coauthor, along with Brook Manville, of The Civic Bargain: How Democracy Survives.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:49What is Democracy? 3:15Conditions and Constraints - 20:17Classical Democracy - 24:26Future of Democracy - 39:21Key LinksThe Civic Bargain: How Democracy Survives by Brook Manville and Josiah OberDemopolis: Democracy before Liberalism in Theory and Practice by Josiah OberLean more about Josiah OberDemocracy Paradox PodcastHow Can Democracy Survive in an Age of Discontent? Rachel Navarre and Matthew Rhodes-Purdy on Populism and Political ExtremismMarc Plattner Has Quite a Bit to Say About DemocracyMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

If these Islamist organizations want to stay in these contexts and keep playing the democratic game, they need to commit to the democratic game in the longer run.Sebnem GumuscuSupport the podcast on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Sebnem Gumuscu is an associate professor of political science at Middlebury College and the author of Democracy or Authoritarianism: Islamist Governments in Turkey, Egypt, and Tunisia.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:31What is Islamism - 2:48Liberal and Electoralists - 19:23Role of Elites - 35:16Islamism in the Long Run - 37:09Key LinksDemocracy or Authoritarianism: Islamist Governments in Turkey, Egypt, and Tunisia by Sebnem Gumuscu"How Erdoğan’s Populism Won Again'" by Sebnem Gumuscu and Berk EsenFollow Sebnem Gumuscu on X @sebnemisbackDemocracy Paradox PodcastBerk Esen and Sebnem Gumuscu on the Disappointing Elections in Turkey… or How Democratic (or Autocratic) is Turkey Really?Shadi Hamid on Democracy, Liberalism, and the Middle EastMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

In the past 26 years, to this day, there has not been one major Hollywood production that has gone against a major Chinese Communist Party red line. Not one. Twenty-six years of silence.Bethany AllenSupport the podcast on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Bethany Allen is the China reporter at Axios and the author of Beijing Rules: How China Weaponized Its Economy to Confront the World.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:48The Authoritarian Economic Statecraft of China - 3:32Trump Administration and China Policy - 22:24Another Cold War -  34:26American Options for Response - 48:16Key LinksBeijing Rules: How China Weaponized Its Economy to Confront the World by Bethany Allen"Zoom closed account of U.S.-based Chinese activist 'to comply with local law'" by Bethany AllenFollow Bethany Allen on X @BethanyAllenEbrDemocracy Paradox PodcastHal Brands Thinks China is a Declining Power… Here’s Why that’s a ProblemJosh Chin on China’s Surveillance StateMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

If we're thinking about democracy as something broader that is producing equality, justice or these kind of things, often those policies that we might describe as democratic policies can emerge from processes that are undemocratic. I think that's uncomfortable for us to think about.Katlyn CarterSupport the podcast on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Katlyn Carter is an assistant professor of history at Notre Dame University. She is the author of Democracy in Darkness: Secrecy and Transparency in the Age of Revolutions.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:41The Birth of Republics - 3:10Publicity - 19:23Spectacle - 26:43Representation - 35:43Key LinksDemocracy in Darkness: Secrecy and Transparency in the Age of Revolutions by Katlyn CarterKatlyn Carter on My History Can Beat Up Your PoliticsLearn more about Katlyn CarterDemocracy Paradox PodcastHeather Cox Richardson on History, Conservatism, and the Awakening of American DemocracyDaniel Ziblatt on American Democracy, the Republican Party, and the Tyranny of the MinorityMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

I think populism is rather a specific form of discontent. Discontent is the umbrella term. It's this vague sense that the way things are being done is not working. That democracy is not effective. That it's not serving my interests.Matthew Rhodes-PurdySupport the podcast on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Rachel Navarre is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and Master of Public Administration Program at Bridgewater State University. Matthew Rhodes-Purdy is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Clemson University. They are the coauthors (along with Stephen Utych) of The Age of Discontent: Populism, Extremism, and Conspiracy Theories in Contemporary Democracies.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:53What is Discontent - 3:21Crisis and Discontent - 13:34Rise of Populism - 25:13An End to Neoliberalism? - 39:20Key LinksThe Age of Discontent: Populism, Extremism, and Conspiracy Theories in Contemporary Democracies by Matthew Rhodes-Purdy, Rachel Navarre, and Stephen UtychLearn more about Rachel Navarre here.Learn more about Matthew Rhodes-Purdy here.Democracy Paradox PodcastDaniel Ziblatt on American Democracy, the Republican Party, and the Tyranny of the MinorityMarc Plattner Has Quite a Bit to Say About DemocracyMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show

This was an election that was meant to cement authoritarian rule and it became a democratic breakthrough.Rachel SchwartzAccess Bonus Episodes on PatreonMake a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox.A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com.Rachel Schwartz is an assistant professor of international and area studies at the University of Oklahoma. Recently, she cowrote an article with Anita Isaacs for the Journal of Democracy called, “How Guatemala Defied the Odds." She also authored a book earlier this year called Undermining the State from Within: The Institutional Legacies of Civil War in Central America.Key HighlightsIntroduction - 0:33The 2023 Election - 2:46A Weak State - 17:18Democratic Backsliding - 30:53Rejuvenating Democracy - 39:39Key LinksUndermining the State from Within: The Institutional Legacies of Civil War in Central America by Rachel Schwartz"How Guatemala Defied the Odds" in Journal of Democracy by Rachel Schwartz"Guatemala: Resisting Democratic Backsliding in the Least Likely of Places?" by Rachel SchwartzDemocracy Paradox PodcastWendy Hunter on Lula, Bolsonaro, January 8th and Democracy in BrazilJennifer Piscopo on the Constitutional Chaos in ChileMore Episodes from the PodcastMore InformationApes of the State created all MusicEmail the show at [email protected] on Twitter @DemParadox, Facebook, Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast100 Books on DemocracySupport the show