Masha Gessen
Journalist, author, and Times Opinion columnist known for books on living under autocracy, including The Future Is History, and for analysis of authoritarianism and human-rights issues.
Best podcasts with Masha Gessen
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809 snips
Jan 10, 2026 • 1h 6min
Venezuela, Renee Good and Trump’s ‘Assault on Hope’
Masha Gessen, a journalist and author renowned for their insights on autocracy, dives into the implications of America's evolving political landscape. They discuss how the recent Venezuela developments signal a grave threat to the post-World War II order. Gessen explores the spectacle-driven governance of the Trump administration, emphasizing the dangers of bypassing democratic norms and deliberation. Their analysis connects aesthetics to authoritarian power, raising alarming questions about America's rapid slide toward autocracy and the psychological trade-offs citizens might face.
45 snips
Jan 5, 2026 • 43min
Is This MAGA Foreign Policy or Something Else Entirely?
Masha Gessen, a renowned writer and expert on authoritarianism, joins David French, a former JAG officer and political columnist, to dissect the controversial U.S. operation against Nicolás Maduro. They explore whether this act qualifies as law enforcement or war, scrutinize its legal ramifications, and connect it to historical military precedents. Gessen warns of the implications for global order, while French analyzes how such actions resonate with MAGA politics, ultimately questioning the meaning of 'America First' in this new context.
