This is Democracy

This week, Jeremi and Zachary talk to Dr. Jonathan Kirshner to discuss realism and foreign policy. Zachary sets the scene for the discussion with his poem "For Want of an Overcoat". Jonathan Kirshner is a professor of Political Science and International Studies at Boston College. Prior to joining Boston College, Kirshner was the Stephen and Barbara Friedman Professor of International Political Economy in the Department of Government at Cornell University. His many books include: American Power After the Financial Crisis (Cornell University Press, 2014) and, most recently, An Unwritten Future: Realism, Uncertainty, and World Politics (Princeton University Press, 2022).

This week, Jeremi and Zachary talk with Jill Lepore about her new book, These Truths: A History of the United States, and why an acknowledgement and understanding of our country's true past can unite us. Jill Lepore is the David Woods Kemper '41 Professor of American History at Harvard University. She is also a staff writer at The New Yorker. Professor Lepore is the author of numerous prize-winning and bestselling books, including: The Name of War: King Philip's War and the Origins of American Identity; New York Burning : Liberty, Slavery, and Conspiracy in Eighteenth-Century Manhattan; The Secret History of Wonder Woman; and These Truths: A History of the United States.

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Dr. Jasbir Singh to discuss the changing landscape of abortion access in the United States. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "Ode to a Doctor." Dr. Jasbir Singh is a specialist in maternal fetal medicine. He is in private practice with Austin Maternal Fetal Medicine Organization, affiliated with St. David’s Medical System in Austin, Texas. This episode was mixed and mastered by Kate Whitmer.

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Dr. Peniel Joseph to discuss his new book, The Third Reconstruction, and his interpretations of American history. Zachary sets the scene with his poem entitled, "The Third Reconstruction." Peniel E. Joseph  is the Barbara Jordan Chair in Ethics and Political Values, Founding Director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy, and Associate Dean for Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and Professor of History at the University of Texas at Austin. He is the author of award-winning books on African American history, including The Sword and the Shield, Stokely: A Life, and most recently, The Third Reconstruction. This episode was mixed and mastered by Rayna Sevilla and Jasper Murphy.

Today, Jeremi and Zachary discuss the significance and legacy of Mikhail Gorbachev and his political career with professor, author, and political scientist Dr. William Taubman. Zachary reads his poem, "What Mikhail Thought of." This episode of This is Democracy was mixed and mastered by Morgan Honaker.

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by American historian Mark Updegrove. They discuss Mark's recent book, Incomparable Grace: JFK in the Presidency and President John F. Kennedy's popularity and lasting legacy. Zachary reads his poem, "Never Again the Same." This episode of This is Democracy was edited, mixed, and mastered by Morgan Honaker.

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Arizona candidate for state attorney general, Kris Mayes. They discuss how state attorney generals fulfill the role of the highest law enforcement officer in the state, as well as how they're involved in elections and environmental issues. Zachary sets the scene with his poem: "Prayer at the Sick Bed of Truth" Kris Mayes is the Democratic candidate for Attorney General in Arizona in 2022. She served on the Arizona Corporation Commission from 2003 to 2010. She is a Professor of Practice at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. https://krismayes.com/

Hal Brands and Michael Beckley discuss China's rise as a military power, Chinese strategic goals, military buildup, and the shifting relationship between the US and China. They explore China's fear of decline, revisionist foreign policy, and the potential for agreement to avoid conflict.

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Professor Vida Johnson to discuss policing in America and the types of checks and balances required by a justice system. Zachary sets the scene with his poem: "Prayer of the Unjustly Imprisoned" Vida Johnson is an associate professor of law at Georgetown University. Prior to joining Georgetown, she was a supervising attorney in the Trial Division at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDS), where she worked for eight years. At PDS Ms. Johnson was assigned to the most serious cases at the “Felony One” level, and her experience included numerous trials in D.C. Superior Court representing indigent clients facing charges including homicide, sexual assault, and armed offenses. Ms. Johnson’s responsibilities at PDS also included supervising other trial attorneys and serving as one of the agency’s two representatives to the D.C. Superior Court Sentencing Guidelines Commission. She recently published "Policing and the Siege of the United States Capitol” in Lawfare (16 June 2022):  Policing and the Siege of the United States Capitol. This episode was mixed and mastered by Karoline Pfeil.

This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Dr. Adam Tooze to discuss the rise in inflation and the broader economic concepts that contribute to it. Zachary sets the scene with his poem: "Today You're at the Gas Station Mirthless" Adam Tooze is the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Professor of History at Columbia University. He is a leading economic historian and expert on the contemporary global economy. He is the author of numerous prize-winning books: Statistics and the German State 1900-1945: The Making of Modern Economic Knowledge (2001), Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy (2006), The Deluge: The Great War and the Remaking of the Global Order, 1916-1931 (2014); Crashed: How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the World (2018); and Shutdown: How COVID Shook the World's Economy (2021). Tooze frequently comments on current affairs for the Guardian, the New York Times, and the Washington Post, among other publications. You can follow him on Twitter: @adam_tooze. This episode was mixed and mastered by Oscar Kitmanyen and Karoline Pfeil.