RevDem Podcast

In this conversation at the Review of Democracy, Angéla Kóczé introduces civil rights icon Ágnes Daróczi, and sketches her paths and the development of her consciousness as a Roma woman; covers the main facets of the movement of Roma emancipation in Hungary and the roles Daróczi has played in them; discusses why the nationality question has been so crucial in Daróczi’s understanding and how her agenda might be placed in transnational contexts; and reflects on the achievements and shortcomings of Hungary’s post-89 democracy and how she perceives the legacies of Daróczi. Angéla Kóczé is an Assistant Professor of Romani Studies, Chair of the Romani Studies Program, and Academic Director of the Roma Graduate Preparation Program at the Central European University. She is also affiliated with the Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology of the CEU. Angéla Kóczé has authored and edited numerous scholarly publications and is the recipient of prestigious awards and fellowships. Her research focuses on the intersections of gender, ethnicity, and class as well as the social and legal inequalities faced by the Roma in various European counties. Her activities prominently include community engagement and policy making as well. Ágnes Daróczi’s Hosszú az út előttem (The Long Road Before Me), edited by Angéla Kóczé, has been published by Magvető.

In this conversation at the Review of Democracy, Stefanos Geroulanos – author of The Invention of Prehistory. Empire, Violence, and Our Obsession with Human Origins – sketches the major ways the story of humanity’s emergence has been conceived over the past two and a half centuries; shows how such conceptions can shed light on the history of the modern world; discusses what has made this generative intellectual tradition also one of the most ruinous; and reflects on what our fashionable prehistories may reveal about the kind of world we currently live in. Stefanos Geroulanos is the Director of the Remarque Institute and a Professor of History at New York University. The Invention of Prehistory. Empire, Violence, and Our Obsession with Human Origins is published by W.W. Norton.   The conversation has been conducted by Ferenc Laczó. The audio recording has been edited by Lucie Hunter.

Are constitutional judges well equipped to deal with fundamental constitutional questions about the EU? Should national constitutional courts aim to address the EU democratic deficit? Several scholars see national constitutional courts as a constructive force in the EU legal order. Nik de Boer argues differently and reasons why is it better to leave certain issues to parliaments rather than constitutional courts? In this conversation with Kasia Krzyżanowska, Nik de Boer discusses hisrecent book “Judging European Democracy. The Role and Legitimacy of National Constitutional Courts in the EU” (Oxford University Press 2023).   Nik de Boer is Associate Professor in Constitutional Law at the University of Amsterdam, a member of the editorial board of the European Constitutional Law Review and afounding board member of the University of Amsterdam’s platform for Democratic Resilience (DEMRES). His research focuses on constitutional courts, EU constitutional law, central banks and democratic backsliding.

In this conversation with our guest editor Eszter Horvath, Phillip Ayoub discusses recent developments in the LGBT movement, introduces the concept of locally rooted messaging, and his own trajectory from activism to academia.   Phillip Ayoub is a Professor in the Department of Political Science and School of Public Policy at University College London. He also serves as Editor of the European Journal of Politics & Gender. Ayoub's research bridges international relations and comparative politics, engaging with literature on transnational politics, sexuality and gender, norm diffusion, and the study of social movements, with a strong interest in how the transnational mobilization of marginalized peoples and international channels of visibility influence socio-legal change across states. He is the author of When States Come Out: Europe’s Sexual Minorities and the Politics of Visibility (Cambridge University Press, 2016), and The Global Fight Against LGBTI Rights: How Transnational Conservative Networks Target Sexual and Gender Minorities (with Kristina Stoeckl, New York University Press 2024). He has also contributed to a number of journals and edited volumes.

In this conversation at the Review of Democracy, Erica Benner – author of the new book Adventures in Democracy: The Turbulent World of People Power – shows what a more self-critical and down-to-earth understanding of democracy would entail; discusses what it means that there is a constant battle within democracies between principles of universal liberty, equality, and power-sharing, on the one hand, and the boys’ club logic, on the other; explains why self-restraint and acknowledging others’ fear of losing their share of power are crucially important; and reflects on the development of a truly global conversation about democracy. Erica Benner is a political philosopher and historian of ideas. She teaches at the Hertie School for Governance in Berlin, at LSE Ideas, as well as for academic programmes in Sweden and China. She has previously been affiliated with Oxford University, Yale University, Warsaw University as well as the CEU’s Institute of Advanced Studies, among other institutions. Benner also acts as the President of the European Society for the History of Political Thought and is a founding editor of the book series History of European Political and Constitutional Thought. She is the author of numerous books, including Be Like the Fox: Machiavelli In His World. Adventures in Democracy: The Turbulent World of People Power has been published by Allen Lane.   The conversation has been conducted by Ferenc Laczó. The recording has been edited by Lucie Hunter.

Who is a dark politician? How do dark politicians perform in the elections and in handling crises? What does being “dark” mean for female politicians? Why do some people like it dark? In this conversation with Kasia Krzyżanowska, Alessandro Nai discusses his newest book “Dark Politics. The Personality of Politicians and the Future of Democracy,” co-authored with Jürgen Maier. Alessandro Nai –  Associate Professor of Political Communication at the Amsterdam School of Communication Research (ASCoR), University of Amsterdam. His work focuses on the dark sides of politics – the use of negativity and incivility in election campaigns in a comparative perspective, the (dark) personality traits of political figures, and radical partisanship in voters.

In this conversation at the Review of Democracy, Daniel Steinmetz-Jenkins – editor of the new collection Did It Happen Here? Perspectives on Fascism and America – discusses the intellectual stakes and political relevance of the fascism debate; reflects on how the fascism debate relates to discourses around democratic decline and the ongoing history wars; shows what a more global perspective on US American debates can reveal; and ponders whether the next round of the fascism debate might just be around the corner. Daniel Steinmetz-Jenkins is a historian of modern political and intellectual thought. He acts as Assistant Professor in the College of Social Studies at Wesleyan University. He runs a regular interview series at The Nation and is an editor at Modern Intellectual History. He also helps curate the History of Ideas section of the Review of Democracy. Did It Happen Here? Perspectives on Fascism and America is published by W.W. Norton.   The conversation has been hosted by Ferenc Laczó. Lucie Hunter edited the recording.

In this conversation with Kasia Krzyżanowska, Hanna Eklund discusses her recent article, “Peoples, Inhabitants and Workers: Colonialism in the Treaty of Rome”, published in the European Journal of International Law. She talks about the “coded language” of colonialism in the Treaty of Rome, explains the approach of the Treaty drafters to the African independence movements, and reflects on the colonial legacies of contemporary EU law.   Hanna Eklund is Assistant Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Copenhagen. She publishes within the field of European Union law, particularly in its political and socio-economic context. She is the editor of the forthcoming book Colonialism and the EU Legal Order (Cambridge University Press, 2025). 

In this conversation at the Review of Democracy, Leah Hunt-Hendrix – co-author, with Astra Taylor, of the new book Solidarity. The Past, Present, and Future of a World Changing Idea – shows what makes solidarity so essential in social movements that advance and expand democratic ambitions; explains why philanthropy should be adapted to grassroots movements rather than vice versa; discusses how solidaristic organizing could become more transformative in the future; and reflects on the intellectual historical context of their book. Leah Hunt-Hendrix is a political theorist with a PhD, an activist, and a movement builder who has organized around issues of social and economic justice. She has co-founded progressive organizations such as Way to Win, Solidaire, and the Emergent Fund. She also serves on the board of directors and acts as advisor to several prestigious organizations. Leah Hunt-Hendrix and Astra Taylor’s Solidarity. The Past, Present, and Future of a World Changing Idea has been published by Pantheon.   The conversation has been conducted by Ferenc Laczo. Lucie Hunter has edited the recording.

In this conversation with RevDem editor and a re:constitution fellow Kasia Krzyżanowska, Krzysztof Izdebski (Batory Foundation) and Bartosz Pilitowski (Court Watch Poland) discuss all the current challenges the Polish government is facing with the legal legacy left by the Law and Justice party. How to restore trust in the judicial institutions? How to deal with the irregularly established Constitutional Tribunal and the National Council of the Judiciary? What should be the role of the judges in designing the judicial system?