This is Democracy

Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Dr. Sarah Coleman to discuss President Donald Trump's immigration executive orders that have occurred within his first few days in office. Zachary opens with his poem, "Return to Lady Liberty". Sarah Coleman is a professor of 20th century American History at Texas State University. Her research is focused on immigration, race, and rights in the United States. She is a former advisor to President Biden and the author of: The Walls Within: The Politics of Immigration in Modern America.

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Austin, Texas city council member Dr. Alison Alter, who offers her insights from her eight-year tenure on the council. The discussion covers the significant impact local government has on daily life, the challenges of public service, and the importance of citizen involvement in local politics. Zachary opens the episode with a personal poem dedicated to Dr. Alter, who is also his mother, titled "For Mom". Dr. Alison Alter was elected to the Austin City Council in December 2016. She served in this role through January 2025, when she was term-limited by the Austin City Charter. Dr. Alter has been widely recognized for her rigorous, energetic, and forward-looking leadership of one of America’s fastest growing cities.

This week, Jeremi and Zachary discuss significant events and favorite episodes of 2024, reflecting on a year marked by political, social, and environmental challenges, and consider reasons for optimism and hope in 2025.

Mai Barazi was born in Syria, where she lived half of her life before moving to the United States. She received her Master’s degree in public leadership from the LBJ School at the University of Texas at Austin. Mai has worked extensively on international refugee and resettlement issues. She has worked in humanitarian relief and education on the ground in numerous conflict zones, including Ukraine, Ethiopia, Lebanon, and Syria.

Jeremi and Zachary sit down with Dr. Meg Reiss to discuss what kinds of protections the United States should initiate through tariff measures on open trade. The discussion covers the complexities of the supply chain security and the dangers of open trade. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, "On the Border." Dr. Meg Reiss received her Ph.D. from the LBJ School of Public Affairs. She was the national security advisor to Senator Mitt Romney from 2019 to 2023. Dr. Reiss is the founder and CEO of SolidIntel, a company using artificial intelligence to help manage global supply chains.

Jeremi and Zachary sit down with Dr. Michael Kimmage to discuss the state of the war in Ukraine. The discussion covers the complexities of the ongoing conflict, the geopolitical ramifications, and the humanitarian impact on the local populace. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, "The Village." Dr. Michael Kimmage is a professor of history at the Catholic University of America in Washington DC. He is also a fellow at the German Marshall Fund, and chair of the Advisory Council for the Kennan Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington DC. From 2014 to 2017, Kimmage served on the Secretary’s Policy Planning Staff at the U.S. Department of State, where he held the Russia/Ukraine portfolio. He publishes widely on international affairs, U.S.-Russian relations and American diplomatic history. Kimmage is the author of: The Conservative Turn: Lionel Trilling, Whittaker Chambers and the Lessons of Anti-Communism (2009); In History’s Grip: Philip Roth’s Newark Trilogy (2012); and The Abandonment of the West: The History of an Idea in American Foreign Policy (2020). His new book is Collisions: The Origins of the War in Ukraine and the New Global Instability (2024).

Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Professor Mary Ellen Curtain to discuss the life and legacy of Barbara Jordan, a pioneering legislator, civil rights activist, and the first African American woman elected to Congress from the South. Curtain's new book, 'She Changed the Nation: Barbara Jordan's Life and Legacy in Black Politics,' explores Jordan's impact on American politics, from her rise in the Texas State Senate to her defining moments during the Watergate hearings. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, "Trailblazer". Mary Ellen Curtin is Associate Professor in the Department of Critical Race, Gender, and Culture Studies, and Director of American Studies at American University, Washington DC. She is the author of two books: Black Prisoners and Their World, Alabama, 1865-1900 (University Press of Virginia, 2000) and, most recently, She Changed the Nation: Barbara Jordan's Life and Legacy in Black Politics (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2024).

This week, Jeremi and Zachary delve into the reactions, and broader ramifications, of the 2024 US election. The discussion focuses on community responses, with particular attention to young people and their engagement. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, "Election Day".

This week, Jeremi and Zachary have a discussion with Dr. Emily Whalen about Lebanon’s complex history and its current conflict. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, "A Prophecy". Dr. Emily Whalen is a non-resident senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Her first book, The Lebanese Wars, which examines the history of U.S. interventions in the Lebanese Civil War, is forthcoming from Columbia University Press in 2025. She earned her PhD in 2020 from the University of Texas at Austin.

This week, Jeremi and Zachary have a conversation with Professor Mary Bridges, author of 'Dollars and Dominion: U.S. Bankers and the Making of a Superpower.' They explore the significant, yet often overlooked, role of banking institutions, particularly the Federal Reserve, in shaping American democracy and foreign policy. Zachary sets the scene with his poem, "Reserves". The conversation delves into the historical impact of Banker's Acceptance credit instruments on global trade, the establishment of the U.S. dollar as a reserve currency, and the dynamics of financial power during and after World War I. They also address the importance of transparency and accountability in maintaining a participatory democracy. Mary Bridges is an Ernest May Fellow in History and Policy at Harvard's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. She is a historian of the twentieth-century United States. Her book, Dollars and Dominion: US Bankers and the Making of a Superpower, has just been published. Her next research project focuses on infrastructure building as a means of projecting U.S. influence overseas. Mary has also worked as a business reporter and editor.