The Fragility and Responsibility of Democracy

Sean Illing talks with historian and author Timothy Snyder about the war in Ukraine, the stakes for Europe and the rest of the world, and the battle between Putin's autocracy and democracy being waged. They also discuss the enduring importance of history — and of ideas — in shaping events in our world.

Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), Interviews Writer, Vox

Guest: Timothy Snyder (@TimothyDSnyder), author; Levin professor of history, Yale University

References: 

• "The War in Ukraine Has Unleashed a New Word" by Timothy Snyder (New York Times Magazine; Apr. 22)
• On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder (Crown; 2017)
• The Road to Unfreedom: Russia, Europe, America by Timothy Snyder (Tim Duggan; 2018)
• Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin by Timothy Snyder (Basic; 2010)
• "Vladimir Putin's politics of eternity" by Timothy Snyder (The Guardian; Mar. 16, 2018)
• Black Rights/White Wrongs: The Critique of Racial Liberalism by Charles W. Mills (Oxford; 2017)
• "Who is Putin really fighting? Maxim Trudolyubov on the Russian president's ruthless war of generations" (Meduza; June 6)

Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Conversations ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of Vox Conversations by subscribing in your favorite podcast app.

Support Vox Conversations by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts

This episode was made by: 

• Producer: Erikk Geannikis
• Editor: Amy Drozdowska
• Engineer: Patrick Boyd
• Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices